• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.22 no.3
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• pp.378-387
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• 2009

To investigate the effects of sago palm pith (SPP) substitution of corn in the diets on intake, digestibility, rumen fermentation characteristics, nitrogen balance and microbial N Supply, five ruminally fistulated Southern indigenous cattle (mean initial BW = 226${\pm}$5 kg) were randomly assigned to a 5${\times}$5 Latin Square Design to receive five diets, $T_1$ = concentrate with 0% SPP, $T_2$ = 25% SPP, $T_3$ = 50% SPP, $T_4$ = 75% SPP and $T_5$ = 100% SPP, of dietary dry matter, respectively. Plicatulum hay (PH) was offered ad libitum as the roughage. A metabolism trial lasted for 21 days during which liveweight changes and feed intakes were measured. Based on this experiment, there were no significant differences (p>0.05) among treatments groups regarding total DM intake (OMI, NDFI and ADFI) and digestion coefficients of nutrients (DM, OM, CP, NDF and ADF), while total DM intake (% BW) was significantly (p<0.05) higher as higher levels of SPP were incorporated into diets. Rumen parameters (ruminal temperature, pH, glucose, packed cell volume, volatile fatty acid and rumen microorganism populations) were similar among treatments (p>0.05), whereas $NH_3-N$, blood urea nitrogen and molar proportion of propionate concentrations were significantly (p<0.05) higher as higher levels of SPP were incorporated into diets. The amount of N absorption, N retention and microbial protein synthesis were similar among treatments. These results indicate that SPP can be included in diets for Southern indigenous cattle to supply up to 100% of supplemental corn when fed with PH without negative impact on animal performance and it was a good approach in exploiting the use of local feed resources for beef cattle production.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.45-54
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• 2002

Ninety lactating goats (Bachthao, Barbary, Beetal and Jamnapary breeds) were used in an experiment to investigate the replacement value of the tree fodders Flemingia (Flemingia macrophylla) and Jackfruit (Artocarpus heterophyllus). The foliages were used to replace the concentrate in diets based on chopped whole sugar cane (Sacharatum sp.), Para grass (Brachiaria mutica) and dried cassava root (Manihot esculanta). The concentrate was replaced by foliage of Jackfruit or Flemingia at 0%, 20%, 40%, 60% and 80% based on the crude protein (CP) content in the concentrate and foliages, respectively. Average milk yield was 1,617 g/day for goats fed Jackfruit compared to 1,532 g/day for those fed Flemingia. Increasing amounts of Flemingia foliage resulted in reduced dry matter intake and decreased milk yield but milk composition (CP, casein and fat content) was similar up to 60% replacement. Flemingia showed a poor potential as a supplement for lactating goats and replacement levels should not exceed 20% of the protein in the concentrate or 7.5% of the dry matter in the diet. With respect to the combination of milk production and net return over the control a CP replacement rate of 20% was the most promising. For Jackfruit there was similar feed intake and milk yield at a replacement level of 20% of CP in the concentrate (9.2% of DM intake) compared to the control diet. Milk yield at the level of 40% replacement (15% of the DM) in the diet was slightly reduced. Up to a level of CP replacement rate of 60% (21% DM in the diet) can be suggested for on-farm testing as a higher net return over the control was obtained on station.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.13 no.7
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• pp.913-917
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• 2000

Sixteen adult Barbari bucks were divided into 4 homogeneous groups, each group was offered wheat straw (WS) at levels 75, 100, 125 and 150 per cent of ad libitum intake in a factorial randomized complete block design. All goats were uniformly fed a supplement ($13.5g\;DM/kg\;W^{0.75}$) to fulfill their requirement for protein at maintenance level. The experimental feeding of goats at different levels for 21 days was followed by a digestion trial of 6 days and determination of rate of passage of digesta for 144 h duration, respectively. Intake ($g/kg\;W^{0.75}$) of dry matter (DM), organic matter (OM), digestible DM and digestible OM increased with increase in amount of WS offered. The levels of WS refusals for obtaining upper limit of intake was found to be above 30% of DMO. Concentration of ADF and lignin was significantly lower and CP was higher (p>0.05) in food ingested relative to food offered or refused in response to increasing allowance of WS. Dietary means of particulate rate of passage from rumen, transit time and total mean retention time ranged from 0.032 to 0.036/h, 19.10 to 21.72/h and 58.61 to 61.53/h respectively and did not show significant differences (p>0.05) irrespective of dietary level of WS. The results suggest that DMI and quality of ingested WS would improve with higher rates of offer and refusals (${\geq}30%$ of DMO) without any pronounced effect on passage kinetics of digesta, because of the greater opportunity afforded to goats for selective feeding.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.21 no.10
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• pp.1435-1440
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• 2008

An experiment was carried out to investigate whether a local breed of cattle is better adapted than European breed crosses to low quality feeds and to variations in their supply. Four Red Chittagong (RC) and four Holstein cross Sahiwal (Hx) cattle were used to compare the intake and digestibility of German grass (Echinocloa crusgalli) and rice straw with four regimes of feed supply. These were; a choice of German grass and rice straw each offered ad libitum on the same day (A); German grass and rice straw offered ad libitum on alternate days (B); rice straw offered ad libitum for 5 days followed by German grass ad libitum for 5 days (C); and German grass offered ad libitum for 5 days followed by rice straw ad libitum for 5 days (D). Each breed was offered the treatments in a $4{\times}4$ Latin Square design. The German grass intake and total dry matter intake per kg metabolic live weight were significantly higher for the Hx than for RC, but there were no significant effects of genotype on digestibility of nutrients or live weight. Treatment A had the highest proportion of German grass relative to rice straw in the total DM intake, and had the highest total DM intake and apparent digestibility of nutrients compared with treatments B, C and D. It was concluded that there was no significant evidence that the RG cattle were better adapted to a variable supply of low quality feed than Hx cattle, and that the variable feed supply reduced the ability of cattle to select a preferred diet and consequently nutrient intake was depressed.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.10 no.5
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• pp.460-470
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• 1997

On an absolute straw diet, the effect of graded levels of green grass supplementation on intake, nutrient digestibility, rumen fermentation pattern and microbial N yield has been studied in cattle. Of the two trials conducted, 16 intact growing bulls of 304 kg weight and 32 months old, randomly allocated to four treatments in a completely randomized design in the 1st trial. While, in the, 2nd trial, four rumen cannulated local bulls of about 60 months old and 400 kg weight were used in a $4{\times}4$ Latin square design with four treatments in four periods. In both the trials, in addition to a mineral mixture, animals were supplemented with graded levels of naturally grown green grass of 0 kg (T1), 2 kg (T2), 4 kg (T3) or 6 kg (T4) to an ad libitum rice straw diet In the 1st trial, measurements were made on intake digestibility, growth rate, N balance and microbial N yield. While in the 2nd trial, in addition to the above parameters (except growth rate), rumen parameters were also studied. All levels of grass supplementation decreased the straw DM intake and increased the substitution rate. The rumen $NH_3-N$ concentration increased with the increase in grass level and ranges from 8-46 mg/l. The rumen pH and the rate and extent of DM degradability of straw were not affeceted by different rumen environments created by different levels of grass inclusion. At 48 h, straw DM degradability were 42, 44, 44 and 43% respectively for 0, 2, 4 and 6 kg grass supplementation daily. The whole gut digestibilities of DM, OM and ADF increased significantly (p < 0.05) only at 6 kg level daily. The microbial N yield was not affected by the levels of grass supplemented. The mean microbial N yield was 10 (SD 3.7) g/kg DOM apparently fermented in the rumen. The estimated minimum N loss and thus the maintenance requirement of tissue protein was 303 mg/kg $W^{0.75}/d$. All the animals lost live weight but 6 kg grass supplementation gave positive energy and N balances. Small amount of green grass supplementation is often recommended for optimization of rumen environment of a straw diet However, under the present experimental condition, no such beneficiary effect observed up to 6 kg (26% of DM intake) level of supplementation.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.30 no.1
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• pp.34-41
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• 2017

Objective: Two experiments were performed to evaluate the effects of coated slow-release urea on nutrient digestion, ruminal fermentation, nitrogen utilization, blood glucose and urea concentration (Exp 1), and average daily gain (ADG; Exp 2) of steers. Methods: Exp 1: Eight ruminally fistulated steers [$503{\pm}28.5kg$ body weight (BW)] were distributed into a d $4{\times}4$ Latin square design and assigned to treatments: control (CON), feed grade urea (U2), polymer-coated slow-release urea A (SRA2), and polymer-coated slow-release urea B (SRB2). Dietary urea sources were set at 20 g/kg DM. Exp 2: 84 steers ($350.5{\pm}26.5kg$ initial BW) were distributed to treatments: CON, FGU at 10 or 20 g/kg diet DM (U1 and U2, respectively), coated SRA2 at 10 or 20 g/kg diet DM (SRA1 and SRA2, respectively), and coated SRB at 10 or 20 g/kg diet DM (SRB1 and SRB2, respectively). Results: Exp 1: Urea treatments (U2+SRA2+SRB2) decreased (7.4%, p = 0.03) the DM intake and increased (11.4%, p<0.01) crude protein digestibility. Coated slow-release urea (SRA2+-SRB2) showed similar nutrient digestibility compwared to feed grade urea (FGU). However, steers fed SRB2 had higher (p = 0.02) DM digestibility compared to those fed SRA2. Urea sources did not affect ruminal fermentation when compared to CON. Although, coated slow-release urea showed lower (p = 0.01) concentration of $NH_3-N$ (-10.4%) and acetate to propionate ratio than U2. Coated slow-release urea showed lower (p = 0.02) urinary N and blood urea concentration compared to FGU. Exp 2: Urea sources decreased (p = 0.01) the ADG in relation to CON. Animals fed urea sources at 10 g/kg DM showed higher (12.33%, p = 0.01) ADG compared to those fed urea at 20 g/kg DM. Conclusion: Feeding urea decreased the nutrient intake without largely affected the nutrient digestibility. In addition, polymer-coated slow-release urea sources decreased ruminal ammonia concentration and increased ruminal propionate production. Urea at 20 g/kg DM, regardless of source, decreased ADG compared both to CON and diets with urea at 10 g/kg DM.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Grassland and Forage Science
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.189-196
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• 1999

This study was conducted to evaluate the dry matter yield, quality and utilization of nutrients of wild Korean lespedeza as a forage legume sources. Dry matter(DM) yield of stages, chemical composition and DM digestibility were observed, also DM intake, digestibility and utilization of nitrogen and energy by Korean native goats were determined. Experimental diets include three treatrnents ; mixture grass hay(GS), GS 80% + lespedeza(LA) 20% and GS 60% + LA 40%, respectively. The DM yield of Korean lespedeza(LA) with advancing the growing stage tended to significantly increase(P<0.05). The average DM yield was observed 7,336kg/ha. CP content of LA tended to decrease, but fiber content tended to increase at growing stage advanced(P<0.05). The tannin content of LA was highest in bud stage (54.5mg/g), but tended to decrease at growing stage advanced, lowest in seed ripe stage(26.8mg/g) (P<0.05). With increasing the level of LA supplementation, DM intake by Korean native goats slightly increased, but no differences were observed in all diets. The digestibility of DM, cellular constituents and NDF were slightly lower for GS 100% diets than LA 20% and 40% supplemented diets(P<0.05). Apparently digested N% was not detected significant differences in all diets, but retained N and biological value were higher for LA supplemented diets than for GS 100% diets (P<0.05). Utilization of DE and ME was not detected significant differences in all diets. Above the results, it could be suggested that LA have a potential to provide as forage legume sources considering the DM yield, DM digestibility and nitrogen utilization.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.13 no.7
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• pp.948-956
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• 2000

The effect of high and low level of feed intakes on nutrient digestibility, nutrient losses through methane, energy and protein utilization by goats fed on alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) pellets based diets was investigated in this study. Twelve castrated Japanese goats were employed in two subsequent digestion and metabolism trials. The goats were divided into three groups, offered three diets. Diet 1 consisted of 100% alfalfa pellet, Diet 2 was 70% alfalfa pellet and 30% corn, and Diet 3 was 40% alfalfa pellet and 60% corn. The two intake levels were high (1.6 times) and low (0.9 times) the maintenance requirement of total digestible nutrients (TON). Rumen ammonia nitrogen ($NH_3$-N) level of Diet 1 was lower (p<0.001) compared to Diets 2 and 3, but the values were always above the critical level (I50 mg/liter), The pH values of rumen liquor ranged from 6.02 to 7.30. Apparent digestibility of nutrient components did not show differences (p>0.05) between the two intake levels but inclusion of corn significantly altered the nutrient digestibility. Diet 3 had highest (p<0.001) dry matter (DM), organic matter (OM), ether extract (EE) and nitrogen fee extract (NFE) digestibility followed by the Diet 2 and Diet 1. The crude protein (CP) digestibility values among the three diets were in a narrow range (70.1 to 70.8%). Crude fiber (CF) digestibility for Diet 3 was slight higher (p>0.05) than that for other two diets. When alfalfa was replaced by corn, there were highly significant (p<0.001) increases in DM, OM, EE and NFE apparent digestibility and a slight increase in the CF digestibility (p>0.05). There were no differences (p>0.05) in energy losses as methane ($CH_4$) and heat production among the diets but energy loss through urine was higher for the Diet 1. The total energy loss as $CH_4$ and heat production were higher for the high intake level but the energy loss as $CH_4$ per gram DM intake were same (0.305 kcal/g) between the high and low intake level. Retained energy (RE) was higher for Diet 3 and Diet 2. Nitrogen (N) losses through feces and urine were higher (p<0.001) for Diet 1. Consequently, N retention was lower (p>0.05) for Diet 1 and higher in Diets 3 and 2. It is concluded that inclusion of corn with alfalfa increased the metabolizable energy (ME) and RE, and retained N through reducing the energy and N losses. The high level of intake reduced the rate of nutrient losses through feces and urine.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.27 no.6
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• pp.818-824
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• 2014

The nutrient composition of pasture, voluntary intake and digestibility of diet ingested by goats grazing on an introduced Leymus chinensis pasture were measured across spring (May), summer (July), autumn (October) and winter (March). In each season, 12 Inner Mongolian Cashmere goats (6 wethers and 6 does with an average live weight of $22.2{\pm}1.3$ kg and $19.5{\pm}0.8$ kg, respectively) were used to graze on a 2 hectares size paddock. Diet selection was observed and the plant parts selected by grazing goats and whole plant L. chinensis were sampled simultaneously. The alkane pair $C_{32}:C_{33}$ and $C_{36}$ were used to estimate intake and digestibility, respectively. The results showed that the plant parts selected by goats had higher crude protein (CP) and lower acid detergent fiber (ADF) and neutral detergent fiber (NDF) than the whole plant, especially in the autumn and winter. The voluntary intake of dry matter (DM), CP, ADF, NDF, and metabolizable energy (ME) by goats was highest in summer (p<0.05). The goats ingested more CP, ME, and less ADF in spring than in autumn (p<0.05). The intakes of DM, CP, and ME were lowest in winter (p<0.05). There were significant differences in nutrient intake between wethers and does in each season, except for the ADF and ME intake per metabolic weight ($LW^{0.75}$). The nutrient digestibilities were higher in spring and summer, and decreased significantly during the autumn and winter (p<0.05). Goats, especially wethers, had a relative constant NDF digestibility across seasons, however, the apparent digestibility of CP in both wethers and does, decreased to negative values in winter. The grazing goats experienced relatively sufficient nutrients supply in spring and summer, and a severe deficiency of CP and ME in winter.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.17 no.7
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• pp.936-941
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• 2004

Four rumen-cannulated cows (330 kg average weight at 4 years) were used to evaluate the supplement of ensiled cassava tops (ECT) (variety KM 94, 39% DM) on rumen functions, thyroid hormones and liver enzymes. The treatments, arranged in a 4 $\times$4 Latin square design, were ECT at 0, 50, 100 and 150 g CP 100 kg$^{-1}$ body weight (BW), and a basal diet of urea-treated fresh rice straw (UFRS) ad libitum and 1.1 kg dry matter (DM) cassava root meal (CRM) in each 30 day study period. The results showed a continuous decrease in dry matter intake (DMI) of UFRS with increasing level of ECT supplement (p<0.001). The highest total DMI was observed for treatment ECT$_{150}$ (2.68 kg DM 100 kg$^{-1}$ BW day$^{-1}$) followed by treatments ECT$_{100}$, ECT$_{50}$ and ECT$_{0}$, with 2.47, 2.24 and 2.06 kg DM 100 kg$^{-1}$ BW⋅day$^{-1}$, respectively. Increasing levels of ECT supplement increased the concentration of total volatile fatty acids (p<0.05) and ammonia nitrogen (p<0.05) and resulted in a decrease in pH (p<0.05). Overall average plasma triiodothyronine and thyroxine concentrations were 0.80, 0.82, 0.85 and 0.69 ng ml$^{-1}$ (p>0.05), and 50.9, 49.5, 50.7 and 42.4 ng ml-1 (p>0.05) for treatments ECT$_{0}$, ECT$_{50}$, ECT$_{100}$ and ECT$_{150}$, respectively. There were non-significant differences in alanine aminotransferase and aspartate aminotransferase among treatments. It is concluded that ECT is a valuable protein-rich feed supplement to cattle, and the highest level of on average 2.48 kg DM ECT per cow and day (28% of total DMI) did not significantly affect thyroid gland hormones and liver enzymes in cows.