• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.12 no.8
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• pp.1228-1233
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• 1999

A study was conducted on four maize cultivars to determine the dry matter and fibre digestibility as influenced by advancing plant age. Samples of maize cultivars Akbar, Neelum, UM-81 and IZ-31 were harvested at weekly intervals/ growth stages. The samples of morphological fractions such as leaf and stem were also collected at various growth stages. Whole mixed fodder and different fractions of maize plant were analysed for their chemical composition and in vitro digestibility. The results showed that in vitro dry matter digestibility (IVDMD) of whole maize plant, leaf and stem decreased significantly with advancing stage of maturity. Digestibility of NDF, ADF, hemicellulose and cellulose decreased significantly in all plant parts with advancing plant age/growth stages. Maximum values for the digestibility of dry matter and various cell wall constituents were observed in leaf, followed by whole plant and stem fractions. Cultivars were observed to have significant effect of IVDMD and digestibility of NDF, ADF and cellulose in all plant fractions. The results indicated that digestibility of maize fodder was affected by stage of maturity and cultivars. However, maturity had a greater effect on digestibility in all plant fractions than did cultivars. Dry matter contents were found to be significantly and negatively correlated with IVDMD of whole plant and its leaf and stem fractions. Based on correlations, regression equations were computed to predict IVDMD.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.214-220
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• 2005

The study was conducted to compare the dry matter intake and digestibility of Atriplex halimus (AH) and Atriplex nummularia (AN) and determine the proper proportion of saltbushes for partial replacement of alfalfa hay in the diets of Awassi sheep. The foliage of AH and AN were hand-plucked, air-dried in shade and then chopped mechanically similar to alfalfa hay. Two trials were conducted separately to determine voluntary feed intake and digestibility of saltbush browse. In the first trial, fifteen 8 month old Awassi lambs were distributed into 3 equal groups, and each animal was housed in individual pen. Each group received one of three dietary treatments: chopped alfalfa hay (H), dried foliage of Atriplex nummularia or foliage of Atriplex halimus. In the second trial, twentyseven 12 months old Awassi male lambs were randomly selected, distributed into nine equal groups, and housed into metabolic crates. Each group of animals received one of nine dietary treatments: alfalfa hay, AN, AH and different proportions (25, 50 and 75%) of AN or AH mixed with alfalfa hay. Forage type had a significant (p<0.001) effect on dry matter intake (DMI) and growth rate of lambs of the voluntary feed intake trial. Lambs receiving the alfalfa hay diet showed high DMI and high growth rate compared to those fed the diets containing saltbush. In the digestibility trial, dietary treatments had significant (p<0.05) effect on DMI, dry matter digestibility (DMD) (p<0.01) and organic matter digestibility (OMD) (p<0.01). The inclusion of AN in the diet up to 50% had no significant effect on DMI and DMD, whereas the inclusion of AH above 25% reduced DMI, DMD and OMD. The treatments had significant (p<0.05) effect on water intake and on live weight changes of lambs. Except for the diet containing 25% of AN browse, all lambs fed diets containing the saltbushes exhibited loss in body weight. The nutritive value of Atriplex nummularia foliage is better than that of A. halimus and it is possible to replace up to 50% of alfalfa hay by A. nummularia without negative effects on intake and digestibility of dry matter.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.80-85
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• 2004

The purpose of this experiment was to assess seasonal variation of feed utilization by feed sources and to obtain information on the use of feed resources by comparing seasonal changes of dry matter intake, digestibility, nitrogen balance and feeding behavior in spotted deer (Cervus nippon) fed forest by-product silage (FBS) and corn silage (CS). Dry matter intake (DMI) of FBS was higher than that of CS in both winter and summer. While DMI of both diets was higher in summer, this was not significant at the 5% level. In contrast to DMI, digestible dry matter intake (DDMI) was higher for CS than for FBS in both seasons, but the difference was not significant. Digestibility of dry matter and crude protein was significantly higher (p<0.01) for CS than for FBS, whereas digestibility of crude fiber was significantly higher (p<0.01) for FBS than for CS in both seasons. Seasonal digestibility of dry matter and crude fiber for FBS was significantly greater (p<0.01) in summer than in winter: In summer, seasonal digestibility was 57.2% for dry matter and 55.5% for crude fiber, and in winter, 50.8% for dry matter and 30.7% for crude fiber. On the other hand, seasonal digestibility of crude protein was higher (p<0.01) in winter (42.1%) than in summer (32.3%). No significant difference (p>0.05) was found between the two seasons and diets for nitrogen intake (NI), 18.7 g/d in summer and 19.4 g/d in winter for FBS, 17.7 g/d in summer and 17.7 g/d in winter for CS. Fecal nitrogen was higher (p<0.01) for FBS than for CS and varied little seasonally. There was significant difference (p<0.01) between two seasons in urinary nitrogen, which was little difference between two diets. Retained nitrogen (RN) was different significantly (p<0.01) between two diets in both seasons, but there was little difference between seasons. Deer usually spent longer time on eating FBS than eating CS. Eating FBS took 221 min in summer and 187 min in winter, whereas eating CS took 113 min in summer and 109 min in winter. Deer spent less time on eating food in winter than in summer. Time spent on rumination was longer for FBS than for CS: for FBS, 504 min in summer and 456 min in winter, for CS, 423 min in summer and 279 min in winter. Time varied seasonally with both diets.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.16 no.5
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• pp.702-705
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• 2003

Forest by-product silage (FPS) comprised of foliage, shrubs, and wild grasses was prepared to examine feeding value as sole roughage source for spotted (sika) deer. This diet was compared with imported oak leaf hay (OLH) and a commercial mixed ration (CMR) in digestion balance trials with spotted deer. Dry matter intake was highest (p<0.05) on the OLH, whereas intakes of the FPS and CMR were similar (p>0.05). Digestibility of dry matter was highest (p<0.05) for CMR. Digestibility of crude protein was highest in CMR and lowest in OLH and there were significant differences (p<0.05) among diets. Average daily gain, digestible dry matter intake and digestibility of crude fiber did not differ significantly among diets. Nitrogen intake, urinary and digestible nitrogen were highest (p<0.05) in CMR. However, nitrogen retention was not significantly different. Consequently, FPS is a good roughage source for deer having high digestibility, dry matter intake and availability of nitrogen.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Grassland and Forage Science
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• v.14 no.3
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• pp.201-205
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• 1994

The objectives of this research are to determine the seasonal and varietal differences of total digestible nutrients(TDN) and in vitro dry matter digestibility(1VDMD) of tall fescue grown in Takwalyon areas, based on the data of preceding paper(Lee et al. 1994b). The results are may be summarized as follows : 1. The values of total digestible nutrients(TDN) and in vitro dry matter digestibility(1VDMD) in 1st cutting were lower than the values of 2nd and 3rd cutting, and it was due to different stages of growth and seasonal difference of climatic conditions in this areas. 2. The relative yield(RY) had negative significantly correlation with in vitm dry matter digestibility(1VDMD) of 1st cutting. 3. Total digestible nutrients(TDN) indicated high positive significant correlation with in vitro dry matter digestility (IVDMD) in all cuttings. 4. The variety of Johnstone showed a high values of total digestible nutrients(TDN) and in vitm dry matter digestibility(1VDMD) of 2nd and 3rd cutting, but Fuego was lower than the other varieties.

• Animal Bioscience
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• v.37 no.7
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• pp.1185-1195
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• 2024

Objective: This meta-analysis aimed to evaluate the impact of wilted and unwilted silage on various parameters, such as nutrient content, fermentation quality, bacterial populations, and digestibility. Methods: Thirty-six studies from Scopus were included in the database and analyzed using a random effects model in OpenMEE software. The studies were grouped into two categories: wilting silage (experiment group) and non-wilting silage (control group). Publication bias was assessed using a fail-safe number. Results: The results showed that wilting before ensiling significantly increased the levels of dry matter, water-soluble carbohydrates, neutral detergent fiber, and acid detergent fiber, compared to non-wilting silage (p<0.05). However, wilting significantly decreased dry matter losses, lactic acid, acetic acid, butyric acid, and ammonia levels (p<0.05). The pH, crude protein, and ash contents remained unaffected by the wilting process. Additionally, the meta-analysis revealed no significant differences in bacterial populations, including lactic acid bacteria, yeast, and aerobic bacteria, or in vitro dry matter digestibility between the two groups (p>0.05). Conclusion: Wilting before ensiling significantly improved silage quality by increasing dry matter and water-soluble carbohydrates, as well as reducing dry matter losses, butyric acid, and ammonia. Importantly, wilting did not have a significant impact on pH, crude protein, or in vitro dry matter digestibility.

• Korean Deer Journal
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• no.10
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• pp.26-35
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• 1990

Seaeonal Changes in chemical composition, in vitro dry matter digestibility(IVDMD). dry matter(DM) yields and DM intake of browse(leaves of trees and shrubs) by four sika deer(Cervus nippon) bucks were studied from 1998 to 1989 under deforested slope moun

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.59-65
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• 2008

Six total mixed rations (TMR) containing 0, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12% tannin (TMR I-VI), using Accacia nilotica pods as a source of tannin, were used to study the effect of Acacia tannin on in vitro nutrient digestibility and gas production in goats. This study also investigated the degraded products of Acacia nilotica tannin in goat rumen liquor. Degraded products of tannins were identified using high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) at different hours of incubation. In vitro digestibility of dry matter (IVDMD) and organic matter (IVOMD) were similar in TMR II, and I, but declined (p<0.05) thereafter to a stable pattern until the concentration of tannin was raised to 10%. In vitro crude protein digestibility (IVCPD) decreased (p<0.05) with increased levels of tannins in the total mixed rations. Crude protein digestibility was much more affected than digestibility of dry matter and organic matter. In vitro gas production (IVGP) was also reduced (p<0.05) with increased levels of tannins in the TMR during the first 24 h of incubation and tended to increase (p>0.05) during 24-48 h of incubation. Gallic acid, phloroglucinol, resorcinol and catechin were identified at different hours of incubation. Phloroglucinol and catechin were the major end products of tannin degradation while gallate and resorcinol were produced in traces. It is inferred that in vitro nutrient digestibility was reduced by metabolites of Acacia nilotica tannins and ruminal microbes of goat were capable of withstanding up to 4% tannin of Acacia nilotica pods in the TMR without affecting in vitro nutrient digestibility.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.199-202
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• 2004

Cellulolytic bacterial strains have been isolated from the faeces of wild (blackbuck, Antilope cervicapra; nilgai, Baselophus tragocamelus chinkara, Gazella gazella spotted deer, Axis axis and hog deer, Cervus porcinus) and rumen liquor of domestic (sheep, Ovis aries) ruminants. Five best cellulose degrading bacterial isolates (Ruminococcus sp.) were used as microbial feed additive along with buffalo rumen liquor as inoculum to study their effect on digestibility of feed and enzyme production in in vitro conditions. The bacterial isolate from chinkara (CHI-2) showed the highest per cent apparent dry matter (DM) digestibility ($35.40{\pm}0.60$), true dry matter digestibility ($40.80{\pm}0.69$) and NDF ($26.38{\pm}0.83$) digestibility (p<0.05) compared to control ($32.73{\pm}0.56$, $36.64{\pm}0.71$ and $21.16{\pm}0.89$, respectively) and other isolates at 24 h of incubation with lignocellulosic feeds (wheat straw and wheat bran, 80:20). The same isolate also exhibited the highest activities of fibre degrading enzymes like carboxymethylcellulase, xylanase, ${\beta}$-glucosidase and acetyl esterase. The bacterial isolate from chinkara (Gazella gazella) appears to have a potential to be used as feed additive in the diet of ruminants for improving utilization of nutrients from lignocellulosic feeds.

• Animal Bioscience
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• v.34 no.10
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• pp.1653-1662
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• 2021

Objective: This experiment was conducted to investigate the effect of insoluble cellulose supplementation to diets on the growth performance, intestinal morphology, the incidence of diarrhea, nutrients digestibility, and inflammatory responses in altering environmental conditions of animals housing. Methods: A total of 108 male pigs (Duroc×[Yorkshire×Landrace]) were randomly allocated to one of three dietary treatments (cellulose 0%, 1%, 2%) and two environmental conditions (good sanitary condition vs. poor sanitary condition) to give 6 replicate pens per treatment with three pigs per each pen at 14 days post-weaning. Results: Pigs were in good sanitary condition had higher average daily gain (p<0.01) and improved feed efficiency (p<0.05) from day 1 to 14 after weaning compared to their counterparts. The interactions were found between environmental conditions and dietary treatments (day 7: crypt depth [p<0.01], villous height to crypt depth [p<0.001]; day 14: crypt depth [p<0.001], villous to crypt ratio [p<0.01]) in ileum morphology. Crypt depth was decreased (p<0.05), and villous to crypt ratio was increased (p<0.05) only in poor sanitary conditions. Pigs exposed to the good sanitary condition had higher (p<0.05) apparent ileal digestibility (day 7, gross energy; day 14, dry matter), apparent total tract digestibility (day 14, dry matter and crude protein) compared to pigs housed in the poor sanitary condition. Meanwhile, pigs fed a diet supplemented with 2% cellulose had decreased (p<0.05) apparent ileal digestibility (day 7, dry matter; day 14, crude protein), apparent total tract digestibility (day 7, dry matter; day 14, crude protein, gross energy) compared to pigs fed a diet supplemented with 0% or 1% cellulose. Conclusion: Our results indicated that a diet supplemented with 1% cellulose increased villous to crypt ratio, however feeding a diet containing cellulose (1% or 2%) impaired nutrient digestibility for 14 day after weaning in both good sanitary and poor sanitary conditions.