• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.16 no.5
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• pp.655-659
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• 2003

Forty eight lambs (24 each of Malpura and Mutton synthetic breeds) were weaned at 90 days of age and divided into two groups. One group of 12 lambs from each of the two breeds was maintained on low energy (52% TDN) and the other group of 12 on high energy (58% TDN) feedlot ration until 6 of the lambs attained 20 kg and the other 6 attained 25 kg live weight in each of the two groups. Daily feed intake and weekly body weights were recorded. Conventional metabolism trials were conducted on the two breeds and the two rations. The growth rate was found to be higher for lambs on high energy ration (p<0.01). The growth rate was also higher for higher target weight groups (p<0.01). The breed did not significantly affect the live weight gains. Mutton synthetic lambs required less number of days to reach 20 kg live weights but took more time to reach 25 kg target weight as compared to Malpura lambs (p<0.01). The lambs of both the breeds reached 25 kg live weight earlier on high energy than those on low energy ration (p<0.01). The dry matter intake, irrespective of breed, was significantly higher (4.57% or 93.4 g per kgW$^{0.75}$) on low energy than that on high energy ration (4.20% or 87.2 g per kg W$^{0.75}$). The digestibility coefficients of all the nutrients excepting crude fibre were significantly higher on high energy diet irrespective of the breed. Lambs on low energy ration, however, digested the crude fibre more than those on the high energy ration (p<0.05). Although there were no significant differences in the intakes of nitrogen, calcium and phosphorus, the balance of nitrogen was higher on high energy ration. The DCP and TDN values were 9.70 and 52.76% for low energy and 9.89 and 57.68 % for high energy ration, respectively. The dressing percentages on live weight basis were 50.2 on low and 51.6 on high energy ration, 50.5 at 20kg and 51.3 at 25 kg slaughter weight and 51.0 in Malpura and 50.8 in Mutton synthetic lambs, respectively. The percent of bones in the carcass was higher on low energy ration in Mutton synthetic lambs at 20 kg slaughter weight than others. It was concluded that the performance of the lambs in respect of mutton production was significantly better on high energy ration fed upto 25 kg slaughter weight with no or little breed differences.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.206-215
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• 2009

This experiment was carried out to evaluate performance and carcass characteristics of 40 crossbred young bulls ($Zebu{\times}European$) finished in a feedlot under two roughage sources (Bermuda grass hay or sorghum silage) with or without the addition of yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisae). The bulls were 20 months old, their initial average weight was 356 kg and they were allocated into four groups of ten animals. The experimental diets were Bermuda grass, Bermuda grass+yeast, sorghum silage and sorghum silage +yeast. Animal performance and carcass characteristics were not influenced by roughage source or yeast addition. The average daily weight gain was 1.50 kg, dry matter intake (DMI) was 11.1 kg/d, DMI as percentage of liveweight was 2.60% and feed dry matter conversion was 7.70. The mean dressing percentage was 52.0% and hot carcass weight was 268 kg. Carcass conformation was classified between good-minus to good. Carcass length (137 cm), leg length (72.9 cm) and cushion thickness (26.6 cm) were not influenced by treatments. The average fat thickness was 3.80 mm and the Longissimus muscle area was 66.9 $cm^{2}$. The classification of color, texture and marbling were slightly dark red to red, fine and slight-minus to light-typical, respectively. The mean percentage of bone, muscle and fat in the carcass was 15.5%, 62.3% and 22.5%, respectively. Yeast addition increased ${\gamma}$-linolenic fatty acid (0.15 vs. 0.11%) deposition. Bermuda grass hay increased deposition of ${\alpha}$-linolenic (0.49 vs. 0.41%), arachidonic (2.30 vs. 1.57%), eicosapentaenoic (0.41 vs. 0.29%), docosapentaenoic (0.80 vs. 0.62%), docosahexaenoic (0.11 vs. 0.06%) and n-3 fatty acids, and reduced n-6: n-3 ratio in meat, when compared to sorghum silage treatments. The treatments had no effect on saturated fatty acids (49.5%), polyunsaturated fatty acids (11.8%), n-6 fatty acids (9.87%), n-3 (1.61%) and PUFA:SFA ratio (0.24). Monounsaturated fatty acid levels were higher on sorghum silage (40.7 vs. 37.7%). The addition of yeast caused higher n-6: n-3 ratio (7.28 vs. 5.70) than treatments without yeast.

• Journal of Animal Science and Technology
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• v.57 no.6
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• pp.25.1-25.7
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• 2015

Rumen bypass fat is commonly added to increase energy intake in dairy cattle. The objective of this study is to examine the addition of rumen bypass fat during finishing period on performance and carcass characteristics in grain fed steers. This study was conducted as a completely randomized block design with 126 cross-bred steer calves (initial BW $471.5{\pm}7.5kg$) randomly assigned to pens with 9 steers/pen (n = 7 pens/treatment). Each pen was randomly assigned to one of two treatment groups; rumen bypass fat treatment (CCS, calcium soap of palm fatty acids) and control diet (CT, tallow). The diets were formulated to be isonitrogenous and isocaloric. Animals were fed twice daily at 110 % of the previous daily ad libitum intake. Blood from each sample was taken from the jugular vein. Muscle and adipose samples were collected from the longissimus dorsi regions. Feedlot performance and carcass characteristics were assessed. To examine adipogenic gene expression, quantitative real-time PCR was completed. Steers fed the CT had a greater level of performance for most of the parameters measured. The CT group had greater DMI (P < 0.05) and tended to have greater ADG (P < 0.10). Marbling score (P < 0.05) and quality grade (P < 0.05) were greater for steers fed the CT diet than those fed CCS. The longissimus muscle area tended to be greater (P < 0.10) in steers fed CT ($87.60cm^2$) than those fed CCS (84.88 cm2). The leptin mRNA expression was down-regulated (P < 0.05) in adipose tissue of steers fed a CCS when compared to those fed CT. These data suggest that calcium soap of palm fatty acids can be added to finishing diets without significant reduction in final body weight, although there may be modest reductions in marbling and quality scores.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.115-125
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• 2000

In recent years a great deal of information has accumulated for livestock on vitamin. function, metabolism and supplemental needs. The role of the antioxidant "vitamins" (carotenoids, vitamin E and vitamin C) in immunity and health of livestock has been a fruitful area of research. These nutrients play important roles in animal health by inactivating harmful free radicals produced through normal cellular activity and from various stressors. Both in vitro and in vivo studies showed that these antioxidant vitamins generally enhance different aspects of cellular and noncellular immunity. A compromised immune system will result in reduced animal production efficiency through increased susceptibility to diseases, thereby leading to increased animal morbidity and mortality. Vitamin E has been shown to increase performance of feedlot cattle and to increase immune response for ruminant health, including being beneficial for mastitis control. Vitamin E given to finishing cattle at higher than National Research Council (NRC) requirements dramatically maintained the red color (oxymyoglobin) compared with the oxidized metmyoglobin of beef. Under commercial livestock and poultry production conditions, vitamin allowances higher than NRC requirements may be needed to allow optimum performance. Generally, the optimum vitamin supplementation level is the quantity that achieves the best growth rate, feed utilization, health (including immune competency), and provides adequate body reserves.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.31 no.4
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• pp.514-521
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• 2018

Objective: This experiment was conducted to investigate the effects of crude glycerin from waste vegetable oil (CGWVO) on performance, carcass traits, meat quality, and muscle chemical composition. Methods: Twenty-four crossbred (Thai Native${\times}$Anglo Nubian) uncastrated male goats ($16.8{\pm}0.46kg$ body weight [BW]) were assigned to a completely randomized design and subjected to four experimental diets containing 0%, 2%, 4%, and 6% of CGWVO (63.42% of glycerol and 47.78% of crude fat) on a dry matter (DM) basis. The diets were offered ad libitum as total mixed rations twice daily. The feed intake, feeding behavior, growth performance, carcass and meat traits, and muscle chemical composition were evaluated. Results: Based on this experiment, there were significant differences (p>0.05) among groups regarding DM intake, growth performance, and carcass traits where goats receiving 6% of CGWVO had lower daily DM intake, growth performance, and carcass traits than those fed on 0%, 2%, and 4% of CGWVO. There were no effects of CGWVO on carcass length, carcass width, Longissimus muscle (LM) area, Warner-Bratzler shear force, pH and color of LM at 45 min after slaughter, as well as on other carcass cut and muscle chemical composition. Conclusion: In conclusion, the addition of up to 4% of DM in the diets for crossbred finishing goats seems to be the most interesting strategy, since it promotes greatest animal performance. Moreover, this study was a suitable approach to exploit the use of biodiesel production from waste vegetable oil for goat production.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.80-88
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• 2016

Twenty crossbred steers ($400{\pm}40.1kg$ of initial body weight) were used to assess the effects of a dietary supplementation with crude glycerin (CG) as a substitute for corn grain on performance, carcass traits, and meat quality. Four isocaloric and isonitrogenous diets were offered to the experimental animals (5 steers per treatment) for 121 days using randomized complete block design. The steers individually received dietary treatments containing 0%, 7%, 14%, and 21% of CG (88.91% pure) on a dry matter (DM) basis. The diets were offered ad libitum as total mixed rations twice daily. Weight gain and carcass traits were determined. At the end of the experimental period, the harvest data and carcass characteristics of the steers were recorded, and meat quality was determined. No significant effect of CG inclusion was observed in any of the growth performance and carcass characteristics traits studied. Also, there were no apparent effects of diets (p>0.05) on meat quality (pH, water holding capacity, drip losses, and cooking losses). The study concluded that CG could be used as a substitute for corn grain up to the level of approximately 21% of DM in the diets of finishing steers.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.29 no.11
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• pp.1569-1575
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• 2016

Two experiments were conducted to examine the influence of kaolinite clay supplementation (0%, 1%, or 2% diet dry matter [DM] basis) on characteristics of digestion (Trial 1) and growth performance (Trial 2) in calf-fed Holstein steers fed a finishing diet. In Trial 1, 6 Holstein steers ($539{\pm}15kg$) with ruminal and duodenal cannulas were used to evaluate treatment effects on characteristics of digestion. Kaolinite clay supplementation decreased total tract DM digestion (linear effect, p<0.01) without effects ($p{\geq}0.10$) on site and extent of digestion of organic matter, neutral detergent fiber, starch and N, or ruminal microbial efficiency. There were no treatment effects on ruminal pH, volatile fatty acids molar proportions or estimated methane production. In Trial 2, 108 Holstein steers ($132.4{\pm}5.6kg$) were used in a 308-d study to evaluate growth performance and carcass characteristics. There were no treatment effects (p>0.10) on average daily gain (ADG) and gain efficiency (ADG/dry matter intake). Kaolinite supplementation tended (linear effect, p = 0.08) to increase dietary net energy (NE) during the initial 112-d period. However, the overall (308-d) effect of supplementation dietary NE was not appreciable (p>0.20). However, due to the inertness of kaolinite, itself, the ratio of observed-to-expected dietary NE increased with kaolinite supplementation. This effect was more pronounced (linear effect, $p{\leq}0.03$) during the initial 224 d of the study. Overall (308 d), kaolinite supplementation tended to increase (linear effect, p = 0.07) dietary NE by 3% over expected. Kaolinite supplementation did not affect carcass weight, yield grade, longissimus area, kidney, pelvic and heart fat, and quality grade, but decreased (linear effect, p = 0.01) dressing percentage. It is concluded that kaolinite supplementation up to 2% of diet DM may enhance energetic efficiency of calf-fed Holstein steers in a manner independent of changes in characteristics of ruminal and total tract digestion.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.28 no.5
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• pp.612-619
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• 2015

Current study aimed to evaluate the performance of bulls (1/2 Purun$\tilde{a}$ vs 1/2 Canchim) slaughtered at two ages and three different weights. One hundred and thirteen bulls were divided into two slaughter ages (16 and 22 months) and three different slaughter weights (light, 422 kg; medium, 470 kg; and heavy, 550 kg). The body weight was higher for bulls slaughtered at 16 months. Daily gain, carcass weight and dressing were higher for bulls slaughtered at 16 months. Feed intake was higher for bulls slaughtered at 22 months although feed efficiency was better for bulls slaughtered at 16 months. Carcass characteristics were better for bulls slaughtered at 16 months. The percentages of muscle, fat and bone and meat characteristics were similar between two slaughter ages. Feed intake and animal performance was lower for lighter animals. Feed conversion and carcass dressing were similar in the three slaughter weights. Muscle percentage was higher for heavier animals but fat and bone percentages were lower. Slaughter weight had no effect on meat characteristics.

• Journal of Animal Science and Technology
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• v.55 no.6
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• pp.539-543
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• 2013

Male cattle calves (n=24), 9-12 months age, with an average body weight of 120 {\pm} 20 kg were fed total mixed rations (TMR) for 120 days to determine their growth performance. Animals were divided into four groups (six of each breed): Crossbred (Friesian${\times}$Sahiwal), Dhanni, Lohani, and Cholistani. The data obtained were analyzed using analysis of variance techniques under a completely randomized design. The average daily gain (ADG), feed efficiency (FE), and dressing percentage ranged from 639-892 g/d, 0.105-0.155 kg/kg, and 51.2-51.5%, respectively, in the different breeds. The ADG and FE did not differ between the Crossbred, Dhanni, and Lohani breeds, but these values were lower in Cholistani calves (P<0.05). The dressing percentage was similar in all breeds. The highest increase in body height was observed in Dhanni calves, but heart girth was obviously higher in Lohani calves. The feed cost per kg gain was higher for Cholistani calves but similar among Crossbred, Dhanni, and Lohani calves (P>0.05). In conclusion, Dhanni, Lohani, and Crossbred calves possess the promising potential for beef production under the rainfed (Barani) conditions of the Punjab.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.29 no.12
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• pp.1725-1733
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• 2016

Recent findings have shown that microbial nitrogen flow and digestible energy of diets are increased when urea is combined with a slow-release urea (SRU) in diets with a starch to acid detergent fibre ratio (S:F) 4:1. This affect is attributable to enhanced synchrony between ruminal N availability for microbial growth and carbohydrate degradation. To verify the magnitude of this effects on lamb performance, an experiment was conducted to evaluate the effects of combining urea and a SRU in diets containing S:F ratios of 3:1, 4:1, or 5:1 on performance, dietary energetics and carcass characteristics of finishing lambs. For that, 40 Pelibuey${\times}$Katahdin lambs ($36.65{\pm}3kg$) were assigned to one of five weight groupings in 20 pens (5 repetition/treatments). The S:F ratio in the diet was manipulated by partially replacing the corn grain and dried distiller's grain with solubles by forage (wheat straw) and soybean meal to reach S:F ratios of 3:1, 4:1 or 5:1. An additional treatment of 4:1 S:F ratio with 0.8% urea as the sole source of non-protein nitrogen was used as a reference for comparing the effect of urea combination vs. conventional urea at the same S:F ratio. There were no treatment effects on dry matter intake (DMI). Compared the urea combination vs urea at the same S:F ratio, urea combination increased (p<0.01) average daily gain (ADG, 18.3%), gain for feed (G:F, 9.5%), and apparent energy retention per unit DMI (8.2%). Irrespective of the S:F ratio, the urea combination improved the observed-to-expected dietary ratio and apparent retention per unit DMI was maximal (quadratic effect, $p{\leq}0.03$) at an S:F ratio of 4:1, while the conventional urea treatment did not modify the observed-to-expected net energy ratio nor the apparent retention per unit DMI at 4:1 S:F ratio. Urea combination group tended (3.8%, p = 0.08) to have heavier carcasses with no effects on the rest of carcass characteristics. As S:F ratio increased, ADG, G:F, dietary net energy, carcass weight, dressing percentage and longissimus thoracis (LM) area increased linearly ($p{\leq}0.02$). Combining urea and a slow-release urea product results in positive effects on growth performance and dietary energetics, but the best responses are apparently observed when there is a certain proportion (S:F ratio = 4:1) of starch to acid detergent fibre in the diet.