• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.29 no.9
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• pp.1265-1272
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• 2016

The present study evaluated the effects of different cutting height on nutritive value, fermentation quality, in vitro and in vivo digestibility of whole crop barley silage. Whole crop barley forage (Yuyeon hybrid) was harvested at height of 5, 10, and 15 cm from the ground level. Each cutting height was rolled to make round bale and ensiled for 100 days. After 100 days of ensiling, pH of silage was lower (p<0.05) in 5 cm, but no difference between 10 and 15 cm of cutting height. The content of lactate and lactate to acetate ratio were increased (p<0.05) in 5 cm of cutting height, whereas the acetate content was higher (p<0.05) in 10 and 15 cm than that of 5 cm cutting height. Aerobic stability was greater (p<0.05) in silages of 10 and 15 cm of cutting height. Three total mixed rations (TMR) were formulated with silages from the three different cutting heights (TMR5, TMR10, and TMR15) incorporated as forage at 70:30 ratio with concentrate (dry matter [DM] basis). In vitro dry matter digestibility was higher (p<0.05) in the TMR5 and TMR10 than that in TMR15, whereas in vitro neutral detergent fiber digestibility was higher (p<0.05) in the TMR10 and TMR15 than that in TMR5. Concentration of $NH_3-N$ was highest (p<0.05) in the TMR10 followed by TMR15 and TMR5. Total volatile fatty acid was decreased (p<0.05) with increased cutting height. The digestibility of DM and neutral detergent fiber were highest (p<0.05) in TMR15, than those in TMR5 and TMR10, whereas acid detergent fiber digestibility was higher (p<0.05) in TMR5 than that in TMR10. The results showed that increasing cutting height, at least up to 10 to 15 cm, of whole crop barley forage at harvest (Yuyeon) may be beneficial for making silage for TMR formulation and increasing digestibility of DM and NDF.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.23 no.12
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• pp.1601-1607
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• 2010

Two experiments were carried out to investigate i) the effects of four levels of lactic acid bacteria inoculants (LAB; 0, $2{\times}10^5$, $3{\times}10^5$ and $4{\times}10^5$ cfu/g fresh forage) and two physical forms of rice straw (whole and chopped rice straw) on silage fermentation quality and nutritive value of rice straw (RS) silage for lactating Holsteins and ii) the effects of the replacement of corn silage (CS) with different inclusion levels (0, 25 and 50%) of LAB treated RS on lactating performance of Holstein dairy cows. Rice straw packed with stretch film was ensiled for 45 d. The results showed that the higher level of LAB inoculants in the silage quadratically decreased pH, $NH_3$-N and acetic acid concentrations and increased the contents of lactic acid and total organic acids. The CP content and DM losses in the silage declined linearly as the level of LAB addition was increased. Compared with whole-plant rice straw silage (WRS), chopped rice straw silage (CRS) dramatically reduced pH by 0.83. The concentrations of $NH_3$-N were similar in WRS and CRS and both were less than 50 g/kg of total N. Chopping rice straw before ensiling significantly enhanced the lactic acid concentration and total organic acids content whereas the concentration of acetic acid declined. The CP, NDF and ADF content of CRS was 13.4, 5.9 and 10.2% lower than in WRS, respectively. Except for butyric acid concentration, significant interaction effects of inoculation level and physical form of RS were found on all fermentation end-products. Our findings indicated that milk yield and composition were not affected by different level of RS inclusion. However, because of the lower cost of WRS, cows consuming a ration in which WRS was partially substituted for CS had 3.48 Yuan (75% CS+25% WRS) and 4.56 Yuan (50% CS+50% WRS) more economic benefit over those fed a CS-based ration. It was concluded that the chopping process and LAB addition could improve the silage quality, and that substitution of corn silage with RS silage lowered the cost of the dairy cow ration without impairing lactation performance.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.23 no.12
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• pp.1578-1586
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• 2010

This study estimated the effect of fermented persimmon (Diospros kaki L.) extract (FPE) supplement on feed intake, digestibility, nitrogen (N) balance, and rumen fermentation characteristics in sheep. Five male sheep (Corriedale${\times}$Polwarth) with average body weight of $48.6{\pm}1.3\;kg$ were housed in metabolism crates and assigned to a 5${\times}$5 Latin square design with five consecutive 20-d periods which consisted of 14-d adaptation and 6-d data collection. The sheep were fed ad libitum a diet containing concentrate and rice straw (3:7). The five treatments were FPE supplemented at 0 (Control), 5, 10, 20, and 30 g/kg of concentrate. Intakes of dry matter (DM, p<0.01), organic matter (OM, p<0.01), neutral detergent fiber (NDF, p<0.05), acid detergent fiber (ADF, p<0.05), and nitrogen-free extract (NFE, p<0.01) increased quadratically with increasing intake of FPE supplement and maximized (p<0.05) at 10 g/kg FPE. The digestibilities of DM (p<0.05), OM (p<0.05), crude protein (p<0.01), and NFE (p<0.01) increased quadratically with increasing amount of FPE supplement, and sheep fed 5 and 10 g/kg diets had greater (p<0.05) DM, OM, and NFE digestibilites than the Control treatment. By increasing FPE supplement concentration, N intake (p<0.01) and fecal N (p<0.05) increased linearly, whereas retained N (p<0.05) and retained N ratio (p<0.05) increased quadratically. The retained N was maximized (p<0.05) in sheep fed 5 and 10 g/kg diets. The mean rumen pH was not affected by FPE supplement, but there was a quadratic increase (p<0.05) of mean rumen ammonia N concentration and a linear increase (p<0.01) in mean rumen total volatile fatty acid (VFA) and acetate concentrations. The mean concentration of rumen propionate in sheep fed all FPE supplemented diets was greater (p<0.05) than the Control, but the mean ratios of rumen acetate to propionate in sheep fed 5 and 10 g/kg diets were lower (p<0.05) than that of Control sheep. In conclusion, FPE supplemented at 5-10 g/kg of concentrate improved feed intake, the digestibilites of OM and NFE, N metabolism, and rumen fermentation indices of sheep.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.25 no.8
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• pp.1124-1131
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• 2012

Four Thai - rumen fistulated male swamp buffaloes (Bubalus bubalis), about four years old with $400{\pm}20kg$ liveweight, were randomly assigned according to a $4{\times}4$ Latin square design to receive dietary treatments. The treatments were: ground corn cob (GCC) replacement for cassava chip (CC) in concentrate at 0% (T1); GCC replacement at 33% (T2); GCC replacement at 67% (T3); and GCC replacement at 100% (T4), respectively. During the experiment, concentrate was offered at 0.5% BW while 5% urea-treated rice straw was given at ad libitum. The result revealed that there was no effect of GCC replacement on DMI among treatments. In addition, digestibilities of DM, OM and CP were not different while aNDF linearly increased with an increasing level of GCC replacement. However, GCC replacement did not affect rumen fermentation such as ruminal pH, $NH_3$-N and VFA concentration; except C3 proportion which was the highest at 33% replacement while the lowest was at 100% replacement. All replacements of GCC resulted in similar protozoal and bacterial populations and microbial protein synthesis (MPS). Purine derivatives (PD) concentration in urine and PD to creatinine (PDC) index were varied with time of urination and among treatments at 0 to 8 and 8 to 16 h post feeding and higher values were shown among the GCC replacement groups. However at 16 to 24 h-post feeding, it was untraceable. In addition, creatinine concentration was similar among all treatments at every sampling time. Based on the above results, GCC can be used as an energy source for swamp buffalo fed with rice straw. Spot sampling of urine can be used for purine derivatives determination.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.26 no.6
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• pp.820-826
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• 2013

The objective of this study was to determine the effect of rain tree pod meal with palm oil supplementation on feed intake, digestibility, microbial protein synthesis and microbial populations in dairy cows. Four, multiparous early-lactation Holstein-Friesian crossbred (75%) lactating dairy cows with an initial body weight (BW) of $405{\pm}40$ kg and $36{\pm}8$ DIM were randomly assigned to receive dietary treatments according to a $4{\times}4$ Latin square design. The four dietary treatments were un-supplementation (control), supplementation with rain tree pod meal (RPM) at 60 g/kg, supplementation with palm oil (PO) at 20 g/kg, and supplementation with RPM at 60 g/kg and PO at 20 g/kg (RPO), of total dry matter intake. The cows were offered concentrates, at a ratio of concentrate to milk production of 1:2, and chopped 30 g/kg of urea treated rice straw was fed ad libitum. The RPM contained condensed tannins and crude saponins at 88 and 141 g/kg of DM, respectively. It was found that supplementation with RPM and/or PO to dairy cows diets did not show negative effects on feed intake and ruminal pH and BUN at any times of sampling (p>0.05). However, RPM supplementation resulted in lower crude protein digestibility, $NH_3$-N concentration and number of proteolytic bacteria. It resulted in greater allantoin absorption and microbial crude protein (p<0.05). In addition, dairy cows showed a higher efficiency of microbial N supply (EMNS) in both RPM and RPO treatments. Moreover, NDF digestibility and cellulolytic bacteria numbers were highest in RPO supplementation (p<0.05) while, supplementation with RPM and/or PO decreased the protozoa population in dairy cows. Based on this study, supplementation with RPM and/or PO in diets could improve fiber digestibility, microbial protein synthesis in terms of quantity and efficiency and microbial populations in dairy cows.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.17 no.5
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• pp.621-628
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• 2004

Twenty male buffalo calves of 6-9 months of age (average body weight, 97 kg) were randomly allocated into two main groups of four (control) and sixteen (supplemented) calves. The supplemented group was further divided in to four equal sub-groups, with the two groups supplemented with a liquid preparation of urea-molasses, UML1, containing fish meal and UML2, containing formaldehyde treated deoiled mustard cake (FDMC) and the other two, with a semi-solid preparation, UMC1 with FDMC and deoiled rice bran (DORB) contributing similar level of CP as in UML2 and UMC2 with double the level of FDMC to that in UMC1. The control group was fed with DORB along with ad libitum wheat straw at 40:60 ratios. The rest of the groups were fed on the above diet supplemented with 500 g (as fed basis) of urea-molasses preparations. The experimental feeding was carried out for 24 weeks including a metabolism trial towards the end of experimental feeding. Daily feed intake and fortnightly change in live weight were also recorded during the study. Catalytic supplementation of 500 g urea-molasses induced 8-25% higher voluntary feed intake of wheat straw, resulting in 15-25% higher DM and OM intake. The digestibility of DM, OM, total carbohydrate, NDF, ADF, hemicellulose and cellulose in all the dietary groups were comparable. The CP digestibility of calves in supplemented groups were higher (p<0.05) than the control group. The balance of nutrients, viz. N, Ca and P, was also higher in the supplemented groups. Significantly higher intake of digestible CP coupled with other digestible nutrients attributed to higher TDN (1.67-1.78 vs. 1.37 kg) and ME (5.94-6.31 vs. 4.87 Mcal) intake in urea-molasses supplemented groups which resulted in higher live weight gain compared to that in control group (p<0.01). Between the supplements, UML2 and UMC2 faired non-significantly, indicating formalin treated mustard cake as a suitable replacement to fishmeal in the supplement. The overall ranking based on intake and digestibility of nutrients, live weight gain, economic evaluation and input-output relationship revealed that the rations with UML2 and UMC1 to be of greater value compared to other types. From the study it can be concluded that young ruminants can be reared successfully on a basal diet of deoiled rice bran and wheat straw supplemented with cheaper urea-molasses-mineral mix.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.17 no.5
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• pp.670-677
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• 2004

Sixteen multiparous Holstein-Friesian crossbred cows in mid-lactation were blocked according to days in milk (DIM) and previous lactation and randomly assigned according to a Randomized Complete Block (RCB) design with four replications to receive four dietary treatments. The dietary treatments consisted of T1: No cassava hay (CH) or stylo 184 hay (SH) supplementation, supplementation of concentrate to milk yield at 1:2 (control), T2: Supplementation of 1 kg of CH/hd/d, supplementation of concentrate to milk yield at 1:2, T3: Supplementation of 1 kg of CH+SH/hd/d, supplementation of concentrate to milk yield at 1:2, T4: Supplementation of 2 kg of CH+SH/hd/d, supplementation of concentrate to milk yield at 1:3. All animals received Ruzi grass from a cut-and-carry system as roughage source. The feeding trial lasted for 9 weeks. The results revealed that DMI of concentrate of supplemented treatments were significantly lower (p<0.05) than those in the control, but there was no significant difference between T2 and T3. There was no significant difference in forage DM intake between the control and supplemented treatments. CP and NDF digestibility of supplemented treatments were significantly (p<0.05) greater than the control and there were no significant differences among supplemented treatments. Milk yield and 3.5% FCM (14.3, 14.5, 14.7 and 14.8; 13.9, 14.3, 14.3 and 14.6 kg/hd/d, respectively) were not significantly different among treatments. Milk protein percentage of supplemented treatments was significantly (p<0.05) higher than the control, but there were no significant differences among supplemented treatments. There was no significant difference in milk fat percentage between the control and supplemented treatments. However, milk fat percentage tended to be higher for supplemented animals as compared to the control group. There were also no significant differences in lactose, solids-not-fat and total solids percentages among treatments. Cows in supplemented treatments gave incomes over supplement cost (IOSC) of 2.72, 2.74 and 2.93 US$/hd/d, respectively which were greater than for cows on control treatment. Furthermore, IOSC were greatest for cows in T4 as compared to other treatments. Based on this study it was concluded that, feeding cassava hay solely or in combination with stylo 184 hay as a supplemental protein source could be a potential valuable strategy in small-holder dairy farming systems in the tropics. This strategic supplementation significantly reduced concentrate use, which resulted in improved milk yields and milk quality for the supplemented cows. Moreover, it resulted in higher economical returns through increased productivity and lower ratios of concentrate to milk yield, from 1:2 to 1:3.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.14 no.9
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• pp.1233-1237
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• 2001

A study was conducted to determine the effects of maturity at harvest and wilting days on the quality of round baled rye (Secale cereale L.) silage. This study was a $3{\times}3$ factorial arrangement in a split plot design with 3 replicates. The main plot was 3 harvesting dates at the stage of boot (20 Apr.), heading (29 Apr.) and flowering (14 May). The subplot was wilting day : 0 (unwilted), 0.5 and 1 day (0, 1, and 2 days at boot stage). Acid detergent fiber (ADF) and neutral detergent fiber (NDF) contents of rye silage were significantly greater than those of rye before ensiling, but crude protein (CP) content and in vitro dry matter digestibility (IVDMD) were vice versa. Buffering capacity (BC) of rye harvested at flowering stage was decreased from 264 to 202 meq/kg at 1 day wilting, however, it was increased when harvested at boot or heading stage. The pH in wilted silage was the highest while that of flowering stage was the lowest. Water soluble carbohydrate (WSC) content of wilting rye was lower than that of unwilted, and the lowest at late harvesting stage. All plots had minimal WSC content for silage fermentation. Wilting treatment and delayed harvesting date caused an increase in dry matter (DM) content of round bale silage. The content of ammonia-N expressed as a portion of total N showed negative correlation with DM content. High quality silage according to ammonia-N content could be obtained from mid-harvest with wilting. There were highly significant differences in each organic acid between harvesting dates and wilting periods. Acetic and butyric acid contents were increased with delayed harvesting and prolonged wilting period, the lactic acid content, however, was decreased. This study demonstrated that harvest of rye from heading to flowering stage with wilting would be a recommendable method for making high quality rye silage using round bale system.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.14 no.10
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• pp.1394-1399
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• 2001

Influence of pre-weaning nutrition on post-weaning gain was assesses under intensive feeding in Malpura lambs. Thirty six Malpura (15 days old) lambs divided in to 3 equal groups were maintained on high (G1), medium (G2) and low (G3) energy and protein containing creep mixture with free suckling and ad libitum roughage (pala leaves: Ziziphus nummularia) up to 90 days of age. The lambs during post-weaning phase were fed on a 40:60 roughage and concentrate based composite diet to assess their post-weaning growth response. Total dry matter intake in pre-weaning phase was higher (p<0.01) in G3 than G2 and G1 while feed conversion efficiency was better in G1 than G2 and G3. The birth weight, 15 days body weight and weaning weight were however similar in the three groups. The finishing body weight, total body weight gain and average daily gain during post-weaning phase were higher (p<0.01) in G3 than in G1 and G2. The lambs in G3 consumed more (p<0.01) dry matter during post-weaning phase along with better feed conversion efficiency than other two groups. However, the DCP intake/kg body weight gain was higher in G1 than G2 and G3. Digestibility of DM, OM, CP, NDF, ADF and energy were similar among the three groups during post-weaning phase. Percent nitrogen retention as nitrogen intake was higher (p<0.01) in G3 (71.1%) than G1 (67.7%) and G2 (69.7%) during the post-weaning phase of study. The G1, G2 and G3 lambs in post-weaning phase consumed 8.1, 7.7 and 8.1 g DCP and 246.8, 227.2 and 246.1 kcal $DE/kg\;W^{0.75}/d$ and had 84.4, 80.0 and 111.1 g average daily gain, respectively. It is concluded that the lambs fed on low energy and protein containing creep mixture in pre-weaning phase showed improvement in growth during post-weaning phase under optimum feeding regime.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.18 no.4
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• pp.475-478
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• 2005

This study was conducted to evaluate feeding value of berseem and lucerne silage as a replacement for conventional fodder (berseem fodder) in lactating Nili buffaloes. Fifteen early lactating multi-parous Nili buffaloes, five buffaloes in each group were allotted three experimental diets. Berseem and lucerne fodders were ensiled at 30% DM (wheat straw was used to adjust the DM of fodders) with molasses (at the rate of 2% of fodder DM) in two bunker silos for 30 days. The diets contained 75% DM from berseem fodder (BF), 75% DM from berseem silage (BS) and 75% DM from lucerne silage (LS). Each diet contained 25% concentrate DM. Diets were mixed daily and fed twice a day at ad libitum intakes. Dry matter intake (DMI) was significantly higher (13.8 kg/d) in buffaloes fed BF diet than those fed LS (12.5 kg/d) and BS (11.9 kg/day) diets. The differences in digestible DMI and DMI as percent body weight were significant between fodder and silage based diets but non-significant when BS and LS were compared. Lower DMI with silage-based diets was probably because of low silage pH. Intake of NDF (NDFI) was higher (5.68 kg/d) in buffaloes fed BF diet followed by those fed LS (5.50 kg/d) and BS (5.00 kg/d) diets. The difference was significant (p<0.05) across fodder and silage based diets but NDFI was non-significant across both silage-based diets. The apparent DM digestibility was significantly different (p<0.05) between fodder and silage-based diets but was non-significant between LS and BS diets. Four percent fat corrected milk yield was significantly different (p<0.05) between fodder and silage-based diets but was non-significant between LS and BS diets. Higher milk yield with fodder based diet was because of more digestible nutrient intake (Table 3) compared with silage based diets. Milk CP, TP and NPN and SNF did not show any treatment effects. The present results indicated that the berseem and lucerne fodder ensiled at 30% DM level with 2% molasses could safely replace (75% DM) the conventional leguminous fodder in the diets of lactating Nili buffaloes.