• Animal Bioscience
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• v.34 no.10
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• pp.1607-1615
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• 2021

Objective: Chaya (Cnidoscolus aconitifolius) leaf has been found to be an important source of protein, vitamins, minerals, as well as phytonutrients. The present study aimed to evaluate the effect of Chaya leaf pellet (CHYP) with various level of crude protein (CP) in the concentrate on rumen fermentation characteristics and nutrient degradability in in vitro gas production technique. Methods: In an in vitro rumen fermentation study the dietary treatments were arranged according to a 3×5 factorial arrangement in a completely randomized design, consisting of Factor A: three levels of CP of concentrate mixtures (14%, 16%, and 18% CP, respectively) and Factor B: five levels of CHYP supplementation (at 0%, 2%, 4%, 6%, and 8% of dry matter substrates). Results: The gas production kinetics, fraction (a) and fraction (b) were lower (p<0.05) with an increasing CHYP addition. Additionally, the fraction (a+b) was found to yield a significant interaction (p<0.05) while the fraction (c) was not impacted by CHYP addition. However, in vitro DM degradability was enhanced and interactive (p<0.05), using 16% CP of concentrate with 6% and 8% CHYP, when compared with 18% CP in the non-addition. Additionally, the treatment with higher CP of the concentrate was higher in NH₃-N concentration (p<0.001) and by CHYP supplementation group (p<0.05). Nevertheless, protozoal counts in the rumen were remarkably decreased (p<0.05) with increasing level of CHYP supplementation. Furthermore, rumen C₂ concentration was lower (p<0.05) in the treatments with CHYP supplementation, while C₃ was significantly increased and interactive (p<0.05) between levels of CP and CHYP supplementation especially at 8% CHYP supplementation. Conclusion: Based on this study, the results revealed CHYP as a promising feed supplement to enhance rumen fermentation and to mitigate methane production. However, in vivo feeding experiments should be subsequently conducted to elucidate the effect of CHYP supplementation on rumen fermentation, as well as ruminant production efficiency.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.133-137
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• 1996

Duckweed, an aquatic plant of the family Lemnaceae, is a rich source of protein and also contains cell wall materials. Spirodela, Lemna and Wolffia, the most available species of duckweeds were evaluated in terms of their chemical composition, the rate and extent of digestion of their dry matter(DM) and crude protein(CP) in the rumen and also their acceptability to the cattle. The three species contained CP of 284, 399 and $299g{\cdot}kg^{-1}$ DM, respectively; NDF of 471, 574 and $476g{\cdot}kg^{-1}$ DM, respectively; ADF of 215, 203 and $227g{\cdot}kg^{-1}$ DM, respectively. The rumen digestibilities of DM of the three species for 24 h were 410, 570 and $731g{\cdot}kg^{-1}$ DM, respectively and of CP were 528, 740 and $778g{\cdot}kg^{-1}$ DM, respectively. The rates of digestion of DM of the three duckweeds were 2.22, 3.63 and $5.73%h^{-1}$, respectively and of CP were 5.14, 4.22 and $6.05%h^{-1}$, respectively. Similarly, the extent of digestion of DM were 853, 723 and $926g{\cdot}kg^{-1}$ DM, respectively and of CP were 801, 874 and $943g{\cdot}kg^{-1}$ DM, respectively. Mixed duckweeds as a component of a concentrate mixture were eaten by the cattle at the rate of 10% of their live weights. It may be concluded that the dry matter and crude protein of the available duckweeds wee highly degradable in the rumen and may be fed to cattle mixing with concentrates. For the effective utilization of duck weeds as cattle feed their effect on the rumen digestion kinetics of a roughage diet need to be studied carefully.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.14 no.10
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• pp.1374-1382
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• 2001

Fifteen Inner Mongolian wethers with permanent ruminal and duodenal cannulas were used to study the effects of dietary rumen-undegradable protein (RUP) to rumen-degradable protein (RDP) ratios or protein sources on fiber digestion in the gastrointestinal tract and ruminal fluid characteristics. Fiber digestion and ruminal fermentation were not affected (p>0.05) by dietary RUP to RDP ratios (from 1.54 to 0.72). Soybean meal supplementation improved ruminal digestion. Fish meal supplementation increased (p<0.05) the ruminal degradability of fiber. The different RUP to RDP ratios (from 1.54 to 0.72) did not influence (p>0.05) ruminal fluid pH, but there were differences (p<0.05) in ruminal fluid $NH_3-N$ concentration because of urea replacement. Soybean meal as a dietary protein source decreased (p<0.05) ruminal fluid pH and increased (p<0.05 or p<0.01) $NH_3-N$, acetate, propionate and butyrate concentrations in the rumen. Fish meal as a dietary protein source decreased (p<0.05 or p<0.01) ruminal $NH_3-N$ and acetate concentrations and increased (p<0.05) ruminal propionate concentration. It can be concluded that dietary protein sources have more significant effect on fiber digestion and ruminal fermentation than different dietary RUP to RDP ratios, when the dietary crude protein requirements of growing sheep are satisfied.

• Journal of agriculture & life science
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• v.50 no.5
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• pp.139-152
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• 2016

The comparative in vitro and in situ analysis were conducted to evaluate the rumen degradability and physical structure of domestic roughage as rice straw, timothy, alfalfa, wormwood and green tea. The feedstuffs incubated with rumen fluid and was used to determine gas production, microbial growth rate and pH changes in an in vitro experiment. The gas production was increased during incubation times and was significantly(p<0.05) lower in green tea than other feedstuffs. The microbial growth rate in the feedstuffs was increased during incubation times. However, microbial growth rate was significantly(p<0.05) lower in wormwood and green tea than other feedstuffs. Ruminal pH was decreased during incubation times, and timothy was the lowest, and rice straw was the highest among feedstuffs. The disappearance rate of dry matter(DM) and crude protein(CP) in all feedstuffs were increased during incubation times and green tea was the highest(p<0.05) compared with other feedstuffs. In effective degradability, when rumen out-flow rate was assigned to 4%, wormwood showed the highest in DM, and alfalfa was the highest in CP. Whereas, green tea was the highest in both in situ DM and CP degradability. Many cilia on the surface and stoma of wormwood and stoma in green tea were observed by scanning electron microscopy. Microbes breaked down the cilia at the beginning and then degraded the surface in wormwood. In case of green tea, microbes attached to stoma. Therefore, wormwood and green tea have a potential value as ruminal feed stuffs.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.18 no.9
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• pp.1249-1254
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• 2005

The aim of this study was to determine the effect of maturity stage on the nutritive value of wild mustard straw in terms of chemical composition, in situ, in vitro dry matter degradability and calculated ME. The nutritive values of wild mustard, Sinapsis arvensis hays harvested at three stages were evaluated by chemical composition, in vitro gas production and in situ dry matter degradation methods. Gas production or dry matter (DM) degradation were determined at 0, 3, 6, 12, 24, 48, 72 and 96 h and their kinetics were described using the equation p = a+b(1-e$^{-ct}$). Maturity had a significant effect on both the chemical composition and degradability of wild mustard. Neutral detergent fibre (NDF) and acid detergent fibre (ADF) (p<0.001) increased with increasing maturity whereas the crude protein (CP) (p<0.001) decreased. The gas produced after 96 h incubation ranged between 64.7 and 81.5 ml per 0.200 g of dry matter. The gas production (ml) at all incubation times and estimated parameters decreased with increasing maturity of wild mustard. The gas production at all incubation times and estimated parameters (a, b (a+b), metabolizable energy (ME) and organic matter digestibility (OMD)) were negatively correlated with NDF and ADF. The DM disappearance after 96 h incubation ranged between 50.8 and 76.1%. The in situ DM disappearance at all incubation times and estimated parameters decreased with increasing maturity of wild mustard. The in situ dry matter disappearance at all incubation times and some estimated parameters (c, a, b and effective dry matter degradability (EDMD)) were negatively correlated with NDF and ADF but positively correlated with CP. The nutritive value of wild mustard continually changed as it matured. Wild mustard, harvested at the proper stage of maturity offers considerable potential as a high quality forage for ruminants during the winter feeding period. The present study showed that if higher quality forage is an objective, wild mustard should be harvested at the early flowering stage.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.181-188
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• 2006

The objective of this research was to determine the effects of synchronizing the rate of dietary energy and nitrogen release on: ruminal fermentation, microbial protein synthesis, blood urea nitrogen, and nutrient digestibility in beef cattle. Four, two-and-a-half year old Brahman-Thai native crossbred steers were selected for the project. Each steer was fitted with a rumen cannula and proximal duodenal cannula. The steers were then randomly assigned in a $4{\times}4$ Latin square design to receive four dietary treatments. Prior to formulation of the dietary treatments, feed ingredients were analyzed for chemical composition and a nylon bag technique was used to analyze the treatments various ingredients for degradability. The treatments were organized in four levels of a synchrony index (0.39, 0.50, 0.62 and 0.74). The results showed that dry matter digestibility trend to be increased (p<0.06), organic matter and acid detergent fiber digestibility increased linearly (p<0.05), while crude protein and neutral detergent fiber digestibility were not significantly different (p>0.05). Higher concentration and fluctuation of ruminal ammonia and blood urea were observed in the animal that received the lower synchrony index diets. As the levels of the synchrony index increased, the concentrations of ruminal ammonia nitrogen and blood urea nitrogen, at the 4 h post feeding, decreased linearly (p<0.05). Total volatile fatty acid and bacteria populations at the 4 h post feeding increased linearly (p<0.05). Microbial protein synthesis trend to be increase (p<0.08). The results of this research indicate that synchronizing the rate of degradation of dietary energy and nitrogen release improves ruminal fermentation, microbial protein synthesis and feed utilization.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.17 no.8
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• pp.1107-1111
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• 2004

An experiment was conducted to evaluate the potential nutritive value of five legume forages (leaves and twigs) in West Sumatra during wet and dry seasons. The chemical composition, in vitro dry matter (IVDMD), organic matter (IVOMD) and crude protein digestibility (IVCPD), in vitro gas characteristics and estimated metabolizable energy (ME) showed variation among legume forages and between different seasons. Crude protein (CP) ranged from 14.2 to 27.8% DM in the wet season, with a significant (p<0.05) reduction in dry season. C. pubescens, G. maculata, L. leucocephala and P. phaseloides showed the least reduction in CP content. The NDF, ADF and lignin were about 39.0, 26.5 and 6.1% DM, respectively in the wet season, and significantly (p<0.05) increased in the dry season, except for NDF of C. mucunoides and C. pubescens. For IVDMD, IVOMD and IVCPD significantly increased in the wet season, but values remained as high as over 50.0% of DM. The in vitro gas characteristics and metabolizable energy were significantly (p<0.05) higher in wet season than the dry season. During both seasons, the rate of constant (c) for G. maculata and ME content for C. pubescens and P. phaseloides were not significantly (p<0.05). Results demonstrated that P. phaseloides and L. leucocephala have a good nutritive value during both wet and dry seasons. Further studies on feeding trials are needed to quantify the animal responses when offered these legume forages.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.19 no.4
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• pp.526-532
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• 2006

The aim of this study was to evaluate the chemical composition, in vitro DM degradability, ME and OMD of alfalfa-maize silage mixtures in comparison to pure maize and alfalfa silages, and to test the existence of associative effects of ensiling alfalfa forage with whole-crop maize using the in vitro gas production technique. Ensiling alfalfa with whole-crop maize had a significant (p<0.001) effect on chemical composition, pH, in vitro DM degradability, OMD and estimated ME values of mixtures. DM content of the resultant silages significantly increased with increasing proportion of whole-crop maize in the mixtures, whereas the pH value, crude protein (CP), acid detergent fibre (ADF) and ash contents of mixtures decreased due to the dilution effect of whole-crop maize which was low in CP, ADF and ash. The pH values of all alfalfa-maize silage mixtures were at the desired level for quality silage. Gas production of alfalfa-maize silage mixtures at all incubation times except 12 h increased with increasing proportion of whole-crop maize. When alfalfa was mixed with whole-crop maize in the ratio 40:60, ME and OMD values were significantly (p<0.001) higher than other silages. Maximum gas production ($A_{gas}$) ranged from 65.7 to 78.1 with alfalfa silage showing the lowest maximum gas production. The results obtained in this study clearly showed that maximum gas production increased with increased percentage of whole-crop maize in the silage mixtures (r = 0.940, p<0.001). It was concluded that ensiling alfalfa with whole-crop maize improved the pH, OMD and ME values. However, trials with animals are required to see how these differences in silage mixtures affect animal performance.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.17 no.12
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• pp.1681-1688
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• 2004

Soaked and pasteurised wheat straw was inoculated with five species of Pleurotus fungi (coded P-21, P-30, P-41, P-60 and P-90), packed in polyethylene bags and incubated in a fermentation chamber for 21 days. The chemical composition, in vitro digestibility and in sacco degradability of the treated and untreated straw were estimated using a complete randomised design consisting of six treatments and four replicates. In a feeding trial, in vivo digestibility and voluntary intake were determined in bulls, using a $3{\times}3$change over design. Dietary treatments were: 1) untreated wheat straw (UWS) as control; 2) fungal treated (P-41) wheat straw before mushroom formation (FTWS); 3) spent wheat straw (SPWS) after mushrooms were harvested. Apart from P-90, fungal treatment significantly (p<0.05) increased the crude protein (CP) and reduced the cell wall components of the straw. The in vitro dry mater and organic mater digestibility significantly (p<0.05) increased in the treated straw particularly with the treatments of P-41 and P-60. The in situ degradability and in vivo digestibility of DM and OM were significantly (p<0.05) increased in treated straws with the highest values observed for treatment P-41. The intake of DM, OM and digestible organic mater (DOM) were significantly (p<0.05) increased in cows fed FTWS.

• Korean Journal of Agricultural Science
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• v.45 no.4
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• pp.695-706
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• 2018

This study was conducted to investigate the effect of a steam chamber type on the ruminal fermentable characteristics and nutrient degradabilities of corn flakes in Hanwoo. Three Hanwoo equipped with a ruminal fistula were used as experimental animals. There were two treatments: Corn flake using a steam chamber (CFSC, 1.0 atm - $100^{\circ}C$ 96 min) or corn flake using a pressurized steam chamber (CFPSC, 1.5 atm - $111^{\circ}C$ 12 min), respectively. In the in vitro trial, the ruminal pH was significantly lower in the CFPSC than in the CFSC (p < 0.01). The ammonia concentration was increased by 14.1% in the CFPSC compared to the CFSC (p < 0.05). The concentration of acetic acid was higher in the CFSC than in the CFPSC (p < 0.01). The concentrations of propionate, butyrate and total-VFA at 24 and 48 h were higher in the CFPSC than in the CFSC (p < 0.05). In the in situ trial, the degradability of dry matter was significantly higher in the CFSC than in the CFSC (p < 0.01). In addition, the degradabilities of starch and crude protein were significantly higher in the CFSC than in the CFSC (p < 0.01). Thus, the present results indicate that the pressurized steam chamber could be recommended to improve the feed value of corn flake according to the increase in the starch degradability and volatile fatty acid production.