• Korean Journal of Organic Agriculture
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.221-230
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• 2012

Rumen fermentative characteristic is useful indicators of the quality of ruminant feed stuffs and diets. An in vitro rumen fermentation experiment was therefore carried out to compare fermentation patterns among three forage sources. These were whole crop barley (WCBS), Italian ryegrass silage (IRGS) and rice straw silages (RSS). Rice straw (RS) was the control, making the treatments 4 in total. Forages were randomly allocated to serum bottles. The incubation times were arranged 0, 3, 6, 9, 12, 24, 48 and 72h at $39^{\circ}C$, respectively. Each forage source was replicated 3 times per incubation time. At each sampling time, total gas and pH were measured, whilst individual volatile fatty acids (VFAs), total volatile fatty acids (TVFAs) and ammonia nitrogen ($NH_3$-N) were determined later after storing samples at $-20^{\circ}C$. Acetate: Propionate ratio (A/P) was then calculated. Forage source had a significant effect (P<0.001) on pH and $NH_3$-N. RSS maintained higher pH values than the rest of the forage sources. A decreasing pH trend with increased time of incubation, in agreement with literature, was observed for all forage sources. WCBS recorded $NH_3$-N values higher than all the other treatments. Total gas, individual and total VFA and A/P ratio were not affected by forage source. However, there was a significant difference in all parameters (p<0.05) among forage sources at sampling periods at 3 to 72h. Therefore, the present results indicating that WCBS, IRGS, RS and RSS maintained in vitro rumen pH above the critical value. Also, WCBS produced the highest NH3-N and on this merit could be of better nutritive value, in vivo, in the ruminant.

• Korean Journal of Agricultural Science
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• v.43 no.1
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• pp.80-86
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• 2016

An in vitro trial was conducted to examine the effects of total mixed rations (TMR) on fermentation characteristics and effective degradability (ED) by rumen microbes. Three TMR diets were growing period TMR (GR-TMR, 67% TDN), early fattening period TMR (EF-TMR, 75.4% TDN) and late fattening TMR (LF-TMR, 80% TDN). Three TMR diets (3 g of TMRs in each incubation bottles) was added to the mixed culture solution of stained rumen fluid with artificial saliva (1:1, v/v) and incubated anaerobically for 48 hours at $39^{\circ}C$. The pH in all incubation solutions tended to decrease up to 48h, but the opposite results were found in concentration of total gas production, ammonia-N and total VFA in all incubations.The total gas production (p<0.05) in LF-TMR was highest compared with those of other diets. Also, concentration of total VFA was tended to increase in LF-TMR compared with other TMR diets in all incubations. The EDDM in both EF-TMR and LF-TMR was tended to high compared with GR-TMR (p=0.100). In this in vitro trials, concentration of propionate in all incubation solution was not affected by increased concentration of TDN. The results of the present in vitro study indicate that TMR may provide more favorable condition for nutrient digestion both in the rumen.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.32 no.6
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• pp.808-814
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• 2019

Objective: The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of essential oil mixture (EOM) supplementation on rumen fermentation characteristics and microbial changes in an in vitro. Methods: Three experimental treatments were used: control (CON, no additive), EOM 0.1 (supplementation of 1 g EOM/kg of substrate), and EOM 0.2 (supplementation of 2 g EOM/kg of substrate). An in vitro fermentation experiment was carried out using strained rumen fluid for 12 and 24 h incubation periods. At each time point, in vitro dry matter digestibility (IVDMD), neutral detergent fiber digestibility (IVNDFD), pH, ammonia nitrogen ($NH_3-N$), and volatile fatty acid (VFA) concentrations, and relative microbial diversity were estimated. Results: After 24 h incubation, treatments involving EOM supplementation led to significantly higher IVDMD (treatments and quadratic effect; p = 0.019 and 0.008) and IVNDFD (linear effect; p = 0.068) than did the CON treatment. The EOM 0.2 supplementation group had the highest $NH_3-N$ concentration (treatments; p = 0.032). Both EOM supplementations did not affect total VFA concentration and the proportion of individual VFAs; however, total VFA tended to increase in EOM supplementation groups, after 12 h incubation (linear; p = 0.071). Relative protozoa abundance significantly increased following EOM supplementation (treatments, p<0.001). Selenomonas ruminantium and Ruminococcus albus (treatments; p<0.001 and p = 0.005), abundance was higher in the EOM 0.1 treatment group than in CON. The abundance of Butyrivibrio fibrisolvens, fungi and Ruminococcus flavefaciens (treatments; p<0.001, p<0.001, and p = 0.005) was higher following EOM 0.2 treatment. Conclusion: The addition of newly developed EOM increased IVDMD, IVNDFD, and tended to increase total VFA indicating that it may be used as a feed additive to improve rumen fermentation by modulating rumen microbial communities. Further studies would be required to investigate the detailed metabolic mechanism underlying the effects of EOM supplementation.

• Korean Journal of Organic Agriculture
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.461-473
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• 2017

Total mixed ration (TMR) including concentrate diet and roughage together have been used for the ruminant animal. Relatively high concentrations of moisture and water soluble carbohydrate are representative feature of TMR. Those moisture and water can also provide a niche for bacterial growth. Therefore, a possible fermentation of TMR induced by micro-organism is generally accepted. The present study hypothesized that different lactic acid bacteria could alter fermentation of TMR and subsequently rumen fermentation. Three lactic acid bacteria, Lactobacillus paracasei (A), L. plantarum (B) and L. parabuchneri (C), were employed and 7 treatments under full factorial design were compared with control without inoculation. TMR for dairy cow was used. Significant alterations by treatments were detected at lactic acid and butyric acid contents in TMR (p<0.05). Treatment AC (mixture of A and C) and BC (mixture of B and C) showed great lactate production. Great butyrate production was found at treatment C. At in vitro rumen fermentation, treatments B, C and AB (mixture of A and B) showed significantly great total gas production (p<0.05). All treatments except treatments B and AB, showed less dry matter digestibility, significantly (p<0.05). Total volatile fatty acid production at treatment AC was significantly greater than others (p<0.05). In individual volatile fatty acid production, treatment AB and AC showed great acetate and propionate productions, significantly (p<0.05). This study investigated correlation between organic acid production in TMR and rumen volatile fatty acid production. And it was found that butyric acid in TMR had significant negative correlation with acetate, propionate, total volatile fatty acid, AP ratio and dry matter digestibility.

• Animal Bioscience
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• v.36 no.2
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• pp.238-247
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• 2023

Objective: Recently, indigenous Korean grass Sasa quelpaertensis Nakai (SQ) has garnered much interest as a roughage source for livestock to mitigate its adverse effects on habitat diversity. Thus, the objective of the present study was to evaluate the ruminal fermentation, palatability, and nutrient digestibility of SQ for Korean native beef cattle (Hanwoo) using in vitro rumen fermentation, in situ rumen degradability, and in vivo feeding trials. Methods: Using in vitro tests with rumen fluid as the inoculum for 48 h, ruminal fermentation of SQ was evaluated and compared with that of other roughage sources commonly used in Korea (i.e., rice straw, Timothy hay, and Italian ryegrass [IRG]). Additionally, an in situ trial 96 h was performed using three cannulated Hanwoo steers. Further, an in vivo trial was performed using eight Hanwoo steers to compare the palatability of SQ with rice straw in total mixed ration (TMR) and forage-concentrate separate feeding conditions. Finally, an in vivo digestibility trial of SQ fed as TMR of two particle sizes was performed with four Hanwoo steers. Results: In vitro and in situ trials revealed that SQ was comparable or superior to rice straw in terms of the ruminal fermentation characteristics of pH, gas production, total volatile fatty acid content, and effective ruminal dry matter digestibility (DMD), although its fermentability was lower than that of Timothy hay and IRG. In the palatability test, steers showed a greater preference for SQ when given as TMR. The total tract DMD of SQ fed as TMR was 75.9%±1.37%, and it did not differ by particle size. Conclusion: The feed value of SQ as a roughage source for Hanwoo steers is comparable or superior to that of rice straw, particularly when provided as TMR.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.32 no.1
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• pp.72-81
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• 2019

Objective: To determine the effect of gut pH and rumen microbial fermentation on glycerol encapsulated in alginate and alginate-chitosan polymers. Methods: Glycerol was encapsulated at 2.5%, 5%, 7.5%, or 10% (w/w) with sodium alginate (A) and alginate-chitosan (AC) polymers. Surface morphology and chemical modifications of the beads were evaluated using scanning electron microscopy and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectra. Encapsulation efficiency was determined at the 5% glycerol inclusion level in two experiments. In experiment 1, 0.5 g of alginate-glycerol (AG) and alginate-chitosan glycerol (ACG) beads were incubated for 2 h at $39^{\circ}C$ in pH 2 buffer followed by 24 h in pH 8 buffer to simulate gastric and intestinal conditions, respectively. In experiment 2, 0.5 g of AG and ACG beads were incubated in pH 6 buffer at $39^{\circ}C$ for 8 h to simulate rumen conditions. All incubations were replicated four times. Free glycerol content was determined using a spectrophotometer and used to assess loading capacity and encapsulation efficiency. An in vitro experiment with mixed cultures of rumen microbes was conducted to determine effect of encapsulation on microbial fermentation. Data were analyzed according to a complete block design using the MIXED procedure of SAS (SAS Institute, Cary, NC, USA). Results: For AG and ACG, loading capacity and efficiency were 64.7%, 74.7%, 70.3%, and 78.1%, respectively. Based on the FTIR spectra and scanning electron microscopy, ACG treatment demonstrated more intense and stronger ionic bonds. At pH 6, 36.1% and 29.7% of glycerol was released from AG and ACG, respectively. At pH 2 minimal glycerol was released but pH 8 resulted in 95.7% and 93.9% of glycerol released from AG and ACG, respectively. In vitro microbial data show reduced (p<0.05) fermentation of encapsulated glycerol after 24 h of incubation. Conclusion: The AC polymer provided greater protection in acidic pH with a gradual release of intact glycerol when exposed to an alkaline pH.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.27 no.7
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• pp.937-945
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• 2014

Green and black tea by-products, obtained from ready-made tea industry, were ensiled at $10^{\circ}C$, $20^{\circ}C$, and $30^{\circ}C$. Green tea by-product silage (GTS) and black tea by-product silage (BTS) were opened at 5, 10, 45 days after ensiling. Fermentation characteristics and nutrient composition, including tannins, were monitored and the silages on day 45 were subjected to in vitro ruminal fermentation to assess anti-nutritive effects of tannins using polyethylene glycol (PEG) as a tannin-binding agent. Results showed that the GTS and BTS silages were stable and fermented slightly when ensiled at $10^{\circ}C$. The GTS stored at $20^{\circ}C$ and $30^{\circ}C$ showed rapid pH decline and high acetic acid concentration. The BTS was fermented gradually with moderate change of pH and acid concentration. Acetic acid was the main acid product of fermentation in both GTS and BTS. The contents of total extractable phenolics and total extractable tannins in both silages were unaffected by storage temperatures, but condensed tannins in GTS were less when stored at high temperature. The GTS showed no PEG response on in vitro gas production, and revealed only a small increase by PEG on $NH_3$-N concentration. Storage temperature of GTS did not affect the extent of PEG response to both gas production and $NH_3$-N concentration. On the other hand, addition of PEG on BTS markedly increased both the gas production and $NH_3$-N concentration at any ensiled temperature. It can be concluded that tannins in both GTS and BTS suppressed rumen fermentation, and tannins in GTS did more weakly than that in BTS. Ensiling temperature for both tea by-products did not affect the tannin's activity in the rumen.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.19 no.11
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• pp.1617-1622
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• 2006

Long-term storage of feeds or feedstuffs in high temperature and humid conditions can be difficult because of microbial contamination. Essential oil isolated from industrial waste citrus peel could be used as a preservative because it is likely to have anti-bacterial and anti-fungal activity. Our objective was to determine whether different levels (0.028, 0.056 and 0.112 g/kg) of citrus essential oil (CEO) would provide anti-microbial activity and enhance preservation of animal feed without influencing rumen fermentation. At 0.112 g/kg, CEO inhibited growth of Escherichia coli (ATCC 25922) and Salmonela enteritidis (IFO 3313). Growth of E. coli recovered after 24 h of incubation, but S. enteritidis continued to be inhibited for 72 h. Preservation of antibiotic-free diets for swine was assessed by observing anti-aflatoxin activity. Aflatoxin was detected in control feed samples on days 16 (8 ppb) and 21 (8 ppb) and in anti-fungal agent (AA) treated samples on days 16 (2 ppb) and 21 (4 ppb). However, aflatoxin was not detected in feed samples treated with CEO. Treatment with CEO and AA did not influence ruminal pH, dry matter digestibility (DMD) or organic matter digestibility (OMD) over 48 h of incubation in rumen fluid. Acetate and propionate were slightly higher with CEO treatment (p<0.05), but total concentration of volatile fatty acid (VFA) was not significantly affected by treatment. Ammonia-N concentration was slightly higher for the control treatment (p<0.05). This study showed that treating feed with CEO enhances preservation of animal feed without influencing in vitro rumen fermentation.

• Korean Journal of Organic Agriculture
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• v.26 no.2
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• pp.281-296
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• 2018

This study was conducted to evaluate the effect of different processing of rice on rumen fermentation in in vitro and in situ experiments. Different processing treatments (extruding, roasting, and steaming) were used in this study and all treatments were ground through a cyclone mill (Foss, Hillerød, Denmark) fitted with a 1 mm screen. Non-treated rice was considered to a control substrate. Then, all treatments were used in in vitro and in situ experiments. Total gas production and dry matter digestibility in control were lower than any other treatment at all incubation times (P<0.01). The lowest ammonia nitrogen ($NH_3-N$) concentration was observed in control among treatments at 6, 12, and 24 h incubation (P<0.01). Extruding had a highest total volatile fatty acids (VFA) concentration at 6, 12 h incubation (P<0.01) and Steaming exhibited a highest total VFA at 24 h (P<0.01). The lowest total VFA concentration was observed in control at 6, 12, and 24 h (P<0.01). In an in situ, The highest value of soluble fraction, degradation rates, effective degradability was observed in extruding (P<0.01). It was considered that feed processing increased dry matter digestibility, total VFA concentration, and decreased pH as well as $NH_3-N$ concentration indicating that processing may increase nutrient degradation of rice in the rumen.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.20 no.4
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• pp.543-549
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• 2007

Two experiments were conducted to investigate the effects of disodium fumarate on the in vitro rumen fermentation profiles of different substrates and microbial communities. In experiment 1, nine diets (high-forage diet (forage:concentrate, e.g. F:C = 7:3, DM basis), medium-forage diet (F:C = 5:5, DM basis), low-forage diet(F:C = 1:9, DM basis), cracked corn, cracked wheat, soluble starch, tall elata (Festuca elata), perennial ryegrass and rice straw) were fermented in vitro by rumen microorganisms from local goats. The results showed that during 24 h incubations, for all substrates, disodium fumarate increased (p<0.05) the gas production, and tended to increase (p<0.10) the acetate, propionate and total VFA concentration and decrease the ratio of acetate to propionate, whereas no treatment effect was observed for the lactate concentration. The apparent DM loss for tall elata, perennial ryegrass and rice straw increased (p<0.05) with the addition of disodium fumarate. With the exception of tall elata, perennial ryegrass and rice straw, disodium fumarate addition increased the final pH (p<0.05) for all substrates. In experiment 2, three substrates (a high-forage diet, a medium-forage diet and a high concentrate diet) were fermented by mixed rumen microbes in vitro. A polymerase chain reaction-denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (PCR-DGGE) technique was applied to compare microbial DNA fingerprints between substrates at the end of 24 h incubation. The results showed that when Festuca elata was used as substrate, the control and disodium fumarate treatments had similar DGGE profiles, with their similarities higher than 96%. As the ratio of concentrate increased, however, the similarities in DGGE profiles decreased between the control and disodium fumarate treatment. Overall, these results suggest that disodium fumarate is effective in increasing the pH and gas production for the diets differing in forage: concentrate ratio, grain cereals and soluble starch, and in increasing dry matter loss for the forages (tall elata, perennial ryegrass and rice straw) in vitro, whereas its effect on changes of ruminal microbial community may largely depend on the general nature of the substrate.