• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.2 no.3
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• pp.307-308
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• 1989

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.2 no.3
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• pp.522-523
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• 1989

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.14 no.5
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• pp.631-639
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• 2001

Two experiments were carried out concerning the effects of urea-molasses cake (UMC) and its separate components as supplements on rumen environment, in sacco feed degradability and intake of swamp buffaloes fed rice straw, grasses or a mixture of grasses and rice straw. Experiment 1 was a change-over design with 4 animals and 6 treatments. The buffaloes were fed rice straw ad libitum, and the experimental treatments were: no supplementation (R); 700 g of the complete urea-molasses cake (RUMC); 53.2 g urea (RU); 276 g rice bran and 52.5 coconut meal (RRC); 26.6 g salt, 26.6 g bone meal and 2.1 g trace minerals (RMi); and 25 g molasses (RMo). Experiment 2 was a Latin square design with four diets and four animals. The treatments were: rice straw ad libitum and mixed grass (RG) at 2.5 g dry matter per kg live weight (LW); RG plus 700 g urea-molasses cake (RGUMC); mixed grass ad libitum (G); and G plus 700 g cake (GUMC). In both experiments the supplements were fed once daily. In Exp. 1 although the rumen pH was significantly different (p<0.05) among diets, it varied only from 6.90 to 7.06. The ruminal ammonia was also significantly (p<0.05) different among the diets with RUMC significantly higher than R. Total bacterial and protozoal counts were significantly (p<0.05) higher for the RUMC, RU, RMo and RRC diets. Total feed and rice straw intakes were highest for RUMC (p<0.05) and lowest for the RMi and RMo diets, but in sacco degradability of four different roughages were not significantly different among diets. In Exp. 2, rumen pHs of the diets differed significantly and (p<0.01) ranged from 7.04 - 7.19. Ruminal $NH_3-N$ concentrations (mg/100 ml) were also significantly different (p<0.05), and higher for the RGUMC, G and GUMC diets. The total counts of bacteria and protozoa were significantly (p<0.05) higher for the RGUMC, G and GUMC diets. The total feed intake and roughage intake were significantly (p<0.05) higher for the RGUMC, G and GUMC diets compared to the RG diet. Correspondingly, LW changes also differed among treatments (p=0.06). It was concluded that there were significant increases in rumen $NH_3-N$ concentration, microbial populations and feed intake in the buffaloes by UMC supplementation, whereas the significant difference in in sacco DM degradation was not found by any type of supplementation. There seemed to be a need of a combination of urea, molasses, minerals and other protein nitrogen sources to enhance rice straw intake. Adding grass to the rice straw diet at 0.25% LW (DM) should also be considered to maintain buffalo rumen function and production with UMC supplementation, when rice straw is the main roughage.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.155-158
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• 1996

Seventy two Black Bengal goats on road side grass based diet were fed on 0, 20, 40, 80, 100 or 120 g of fish meal (FM)/goat/day with or without ad libitum access to urea molasses block(UMB). The purpose was to assess the interaction of undegradable protein (UDP) and fermentable nitrogen(N) supplementation on feed intake, nutrient digestibility and growth of goats. Live weight gain of goats increased linearly with the increasing of dietary fish meal as an undegradable protein source. With the increasing level of fish meal the live weight gain(g/day) was 17, 23, 46, 48, 48 and 52 with urea molasses block and 12, 21, 31, 49, 47 and 47 without urea molasses block. It was concluded that the beneficial effects of urea molasses feeding to accelerate the dry matter intake, TDN intake and nutrient digestibility observed could not be exploited in terms of live weight gain.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.20 no.8
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• pp.1215-1221
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• 2007

Three Holstein steers fitted with ruminal and duodenal cannulae were fed grass silage-based diets supplemented with potato pulp silage as a substitute for rolled corn at levels of 0%, 50% and 100% on a DM basis in a $3{\times}3$ Latin square design to investigate the effect of potato pulp silage on nitrogen (N) utilization in ruminants. Organic matter (OM) intake, and rumen and total tract digestibilities did not differ among treatment diets. Rumen and post-rumen starch digestibilities were similar among treatments, although starch intake decreased (p<0.01) with potato pulp supplementation. There were no significant differences (p>0.05) in ruminal N utilization and non-ammonia N supply to the duodenum of steers fed grass silage supplemented with potato pulp silage as a substitute for rolled corn. There were no treatment differences (p>0.05) in rumen pH, volatile fatty acid (VFA) concentration or the molar percentages of acetate and propionate. The ammonia-N concentration in rumen fluid tended to decrease (p<0.1) when rolled corn was substituted with potato pulp silage. Ether extract intake and post-ruminal digestibility significantly (p<0.01) decreased in steers fed diets containing potato pulp silage. Concentrations of total cholesterol and phospholipids in serum markedly decreased (p<0.01) with potato pulp silage supplementation without adversely affecting liver function. These data suggested that potato pulp silage has a similar value as rolled corn as an energy source for rumen microorganisms.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.25 no.8
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• pp.1117-1123
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• 2012

The effect of duckweed (DW) supplementation was evaluated on dry matter intake (DMI), presence and duration of estrus, percentage of ewes repeating estrus and pregnancy rate, as well as the concentration of progesterone ($P_4$) in multiparous crossbred ewes from Pelibuey, Dorper, and Katahdin breeds, fed with Taiwan grass hay (TWH). Eighteen ewes with $39.7{\pm}4kg$ mean body weight, kept in individual pens, were randomly assigned to one of the following treatments: $T_1$: TWH, $T_2$: TWH plus 200 g DW, $T_3$: TWH plus 300 g DW. The ewes were synchronized with 40 mg fluorogestone acetate (FGA) and 400 UI equine chorionic gonadotropin (eCG). Data were analyzed as a completely randomized design using the GLM procedure. DW supplementation had no effect on dry matter intake (p>0.05); however, a slight decrease of TWH intake was observed as DW supplementation increased. No differences (p>0.05) were found in the beginning of estrus, percentage of ewes presenting it, its duration, or pregnancy rate. There were no differences (p>0.05) on $P_4$ concentration among treatments, or $treatment{\times}period$ interaction (p>0.05). However the period was significant (p<0.01), since the $P_4$ levels increased as time increased after the removal of the FGA device and eCG application.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.8 no.3
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• pp.281-287
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• 1995

A study was conducted to investigate the effect of different inclusion levels of urea treated whole-crop wheat silage (UWCWS) in grass silage based rations on the performance of growing beef cattle. The winter wheat (variety, Riband) was harvested (in the summer of 1991) at a dry matter proportion of 520 g/kg and treated with feed grade urea at the rate of 37 kg/tonne crop dry matter and preserved in a heavy duty plastic bag using a silo press. The urea treated whole crop wheat silage (UWCWS) was mixed with grass silage to replace 0.00 (S100), 0.33 (S33) and 0.67 (S67) parts of the forage dry matter and fed ad libitum in a cross over design to 18 Simmental X Holstein Friesian growing beef animals. Two energy sources {one high in starch, rolled barley (RB) and one high in digestible fibre, sugar beet pulp (SBP)} were fed to supply sufficient energy for the efficient use of nitrogen by the rumen micro-organisms. The data on DMIF (dry matter intake of forage), TDMI (total dry matter intake), DLWG (daily live weight gain), FCR (feed conversion ratio) were recorded and faecal samples were collected to determine the digestibility coefficients. Results revealed that with the inclusion of UWCW in the animals' diets the DMI of the forage was significantly increased (p < 0.05). The highest DMIF was found in the treatment "S33" ($6.28{\pm}0.25kg$) where 67% of the silage dry matter was replaced with the UWCW and the lowest value for DMIF was observed in the control treatment ($5.03{\pm}0.23kg$). The DLWG did not differ significantly between the treatments. However, treatment "S100" showed a trend towards a superior DLWG. Feed conversion ratio in the control treatment differed significantly from "S67" and "S33". The addition of the UWCW in the animals' diet resulted in the lower FCR There was no effect of type of energy supplement on any aspect of performance either overall or in interaction with grass silage: UWCWS ratio. The regression and correlation coefficients for DMIF (r = 5.22 + 0.0184x*), DLWG (r = $1.04-0.00086x^{NS}$) and FCR (r = 4.78 = 0.022x*) on the inclusion of UWCW in the diet were calculated. The effect of the inclusion of UWCW on the overall digestibility coefficients was significant (p < 0.05). The addition of the UWCWS in the diet decreased the digestibility of the DM, OM, ADF and NFE but effect on the protein digestibility was non significant. The results of present study suggests that a DLWG slightly over 1 kg can be achieved with UWCW during the store period (period in which animal performance targets are low especially during winter) and the prediction of ME was overestimated as the high intake of DM did not reflect in improved animal performance.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.32 no.6
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• pp.800-807
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• 2019

Objective: The aim was to evaluate backgrounding beef steers on oat + ryegrass pastures mixed with vetch and/or using energy supplementation. Methods: A randomized block design with three treatments and three replications was used. The treatments were: grass + supplement (oat + ryegrass + supplementation), legume + supplement (oat + ryegrass + vetch + supplementation) and grass + legume (oat + ryegrass + vetch). A continuous grazing system with a variable stocking rate was used. Twenty-seven intact crossbred steers (1/4 Marchigiana, 1/4 Aberdeen Angus and 2/4 Nellore) aged 7 months old and average weight of 190 kg were used. Steers were supplemented at 1% of the body weight of ground corn. The experiment lasted 84 days, between May and August 2014. Behavioral assessments were performed two times per experimental period, for 24 hours. Results: The forage mass was different between treatments, being greater for steers fed without legume. The accumulation rate, forage allowance, and stocking rate did not differ between treatments due to the adequate adjustment of forage allowance. The final weight of animals, as well as the dry matter intake (kg/d), did not differ between treatments. However, forage intake was higher for non-supplemented animals in relation to supplemented steers. Supplement intake did not alter the total digestible nutrient intake due to pasture quality. Animals fed grass + supplement had higher live weight gain per area than those fed grass + legume. Animals without supplementation spent more time in grazing. Conclusion: Feeding behavior was not altered by mixing with vetch or supplementation. Non-supplemented animals started the grazing peak earlier and spent more time in grazing than those supplemented; however, the average daily gain was similar between treatments. The live weight gain per hectare was 47% higher in pastures in which the animals received supplementation compared with those mixed with vetch, a consequence of the substitutive effect.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.24 no.7
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• pp.940-945
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• 2011

In order to determine whether oxalate from grasses affects feed intake, blood calcium (Ca) and other blood parameters of adult sheep, two feeding trials were conducted. In Trial 1, one group of sheep received guineagrass (0.47% soluble oxalate) and another group received setaria (1.34% soluble oxalate) for 28 d. In Trial 2, one group of sheep received guineagrass while another group received the same grass treated with an oxalic acid solution (at a rate of 30 g oxalic acid/kg dry matter of hay) for 72 d. All sheep received concentrate mixtures (0.5% of body weight) throughout the experiment. In both trials, it was observed that plasma Ca concentration (11.0-11.7 mg/dl) was significantly (p<0.05) lower in sheep fed high oxalate-containing grasses than in sheep fed low oxalate-containing grasses (12.4-13.7 mg/dl). No differences (p>0.05) were observed in concentrations of magnesium, phosphorus and parathyroid hormone in plasma between the feeding of low and high oxalate-containing grasses. In addition, no differences (p>0.05) were observed in roughage dry mater (DM) intake, total DM intake or body weight of sheep. This study suggests that sheep may consume oxalate-rich forage, but Ca bioavailability may decrease with increasing oxalate levels in the ration.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.15 no.11
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• pp.1585-1590
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• 2002

Thirty female goats of local breed (mature weight 28 kg), weighing 11 to 18 kg, were used in a growth experiment with the objectives to evaluate the effect of different levels of Gliricidia sepium leaves in a diet of Guinea grass (Panicum maximum) on feed intake, weight gain and apparent digestibility. The goats were allotted to five treatments, consisting of 5 levels, 0 (GL-0), 20 (GL-20), 30 (GL-30), 40 (GL-40) and 50% (GL-50) of Gliricidia sepium leaves in the diet based on the energy requirements of the goats. Another six female goats were used to study the digestibility of three dietary treatments, GL-0, GL-30 and GL-50, according to a double $3{\times}3$ Latin square arrangement. The crude protein (CP) content in Gliricidia was higher and the neutral detergent fibre (NDF) and acid detergent fibre (ADF) lower than in the Guinea grass. Increasing the amount of Gliricidia leaves resulted in similar intake of total dry matter (DM), organic matter (OM), NDF and ADF among treatments, but CP intake increased with increasing Gliricidia in the diet. The highest total DM intake was 3.0% of body weight in the GL-20 diet. The highest daily live weight gain was 43 g/day in the GL-30 diet. Inclusion of 30% of Gliricidia leaves improved the apparent DM, OM and CP digestibility compared to 0% or 50% inclusion. NDF and ADF digestibility declined with increasing levels of Gliricidia leaves in the diet.