• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.27 no.2
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• pp.201-208
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• 2014

This study was conducted to evaluate the ensiling characteristics and the in situ degradability of a by-product feed (BF)-based silage. Before ensilation, the BF-based mixture was composed of 50% spent mushroom substrate, 21% recycled poultry bedding, 15% ryegrass straw, 10.8% rice bran, 2% molasses, 0.6% bentonite, and 0.6% microbial inoculant on a wet basis and ensiled for up to 4 weeks. The BF-based silage contained on average 39.3% moisture, 13.4% crude protein (CP), and 52.2% neutral detergent fiber (NDF), 49% total digestible nutrient, and 37.8% physically effective $NDF_{1.18}$ on a dry matter (DM) basis. Ensiling the BF-based silage for up to 4 weeks affected (p<0.01) the chemical composition to a small extent, increased (p<0.05) the lactic acid and $NH_3$-N content, and decreased (p<0.05) both the total bacterial and lactic acid bacterial counts from $10^9$ to $10^8$ cfu/g when compared to that before ensiling. These parameters indicated that the silage was fermented and stored well during the 4-week ensiling period. Compared with rice or ryegrass straws, the BF-based silage had a higher (p<0.05) water-soluble and filterable fraction, a lower insoluble degradable DM and CP fraction (p<0.05), a lower digestible NDF (p<0.05) fraction, a higher (p<0.05) DM and CP disappearance and degradability rate, and a lower (p<0.05) NDF disappearance and degradability rate. These results indicated that cheap, good-quality BF-based roughage could be produced by ensiling SMS, RPB, rice bran, and a minimal amount of straw.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.23 no.4
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• pp.483-490
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• 2010

The objectives of this study were to measure particle size and evaluate the effect of increasing alfalfa hay particle size on production characteristics in lactating Holstein dairy cows. Ninety multiparous Holstein cows in early to mid-lactation were randomly assigned in a complete randomized design for a 30-day period. Animals were offered one of the three diets, which were identical in energy, protein, and chemical composition, but differed only in particle size of alfalfa hay. The treatments were A) total mixed ration (TMR) in which only fine chopped alfalfa hay was incorporated in the ration, B) the same diet in which half of the alfalfa hay was fine chopped and incorporated in the mixed ration and half was long hay and offered as a top dressing, and C) the same diet with long hay alfalfa offered as a top dressing. Distribution of particle size of rations was determined through 20,000, 8,000 and 1,000 ${\mu}m$ sieves. The new method of quantitative determination of manure index was examined for each cow on different treatments. The geometric mean length of particle size in the rations was 5,666, 9,900 and 11,549 ${\mu}m$ for treatments A, B and C, respectively. Fat corrected milk (4%), milk fat percentage and production were significantly different (p<0.05) in treatment A versus B and C (fat corrected milk (FCM, 4%)) 28.3 vs. 35.2 and 32.3 kg/d, fat percentage 2.89, 4.04 and 3.62; but the change of ration particle size had no significant effect on milk production (p>0.05). Blood concentration of cholesterol in treatment A was significantly higher (p<0.05) than treatment B and C (181.0 vs. 150.0 and 155.2 mg/dl). Manure index in treatment C was significantly different (p<0.05) from treatment B (15.86 vs. 17.67). Based on these experimental findings, it is concluded that an increase in the ration particle size can increase milk fat percentage due to providing more physically effective fiber, which in turn could effect changes in manure consistency.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Grassland and Forage Science
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• v.33 no.4
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• pp.290-297
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• 2013

This study was carried out to investigate the effects of a by-product feed-based silage (BF silage) feeding on behavior patterns of growing Hanwoo steers. A total of 10 Hanwoo steers (11 months old, 302kg of body weight) were assigned to 2 dietary treatments: the control (concentrate mix + free access to rice straw), and the treatment (concentrate mix + free access to BF silage). The behavior patterns were observed for 48 hours. The intakes of dry matter (DM) and neutral detergent fiber (NDF) of the treatment group were higher than those of the control group. Eating time, ruminating time and resting time were not different between the control and treatment. But, the intake time per kg DM was higher for the control than treatment. The number of bolus, total chewing frequency, number of ruminating per bolus and number of bolus per minute were not different between the control and treatment. But the chewing frequency per bolus was higher in the treatment than control (p<0.05), and feed value index was lower in treatment than control (p<0.05). Frequencies of drinking and defecating were not different between the two groups, but the frequency of urinating was higher for the treatment (p<0.05) than control. Eating rate, ruminating efficiency and chewing efficiency were much higher in the treatment group than control (p<0.05). These results indicate that the replacement of conventional rice straws with the BF silage (physically effective NDF, about 25%) did not affect the ruminating behaviors of Hanwoo steers significantly.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Grassland and Forage Science
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• v.34 no.4
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• pp.288-295
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• 2014

This study was conducted to evaluate the effect of mixing time for TMR (total mixed rations) mixed with corn silage on particle size, peNDF (physically effective neutral detergent fiber), laceration, and ruminal in situ dry matter degradation. The study also aimed to evaluate the effect of consumption of the TMR on the milk yield and milk components of mid-lactational dairy cows. TMRs were mixed for 30 minutes (T1) and 50 minutes (T2) using the same material. All samples were then analyzed with a Penn State Particle Size Separator (PSPS). The particle size of T1 was significantly lower in the bottom pan (8 mm>) than that of T2 (p<0.01). $peNDF_{&gt;8.0}$ was significantly higher in T1 (17.18%) than in T2 (13.85%) (p<0.01). For ruminal in situ dry matter degradation of particle retention (>19 mm), no significant difference was found after 72 hours incubation, although T1 degradation was significantly higher after 24 hours incubation (p<0.01). Milk yield was no different between the groups of cows, whereas the milk fat from T1 fed cows was significantly higher (p<0.01). The results show that feeding TMR mixed for 30 minutes to dairy cows may improve the physical value of forage without negative effects on the milk yield and milk components.