• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.14 no.8
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• pp.1118-1124
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• 2001

Fifteen lactating crossbred cows were randomly allotted to three groups of 5 each, and fed three isoproteinous concentrate mixture varying in RDP and UDP ratios, viz. 71: 29 (T1) and 58: 42 (T2) and 44: 56 (T3), along with green maize and wheat straw given as 2/3 and 1/3 of total roughage respectively, for a period of 120 days. The DM intake (kg/d) differed significantly (p<0.01) among the treatments as well as among the fortnights over a period of 120 days. DMI (kg/d) progressively increased from first to eighth fortnight in all the treatments. The daily DMI (% BW) was significantly (p<0.01) lower in T1 (2.37) than those of T2 (2.82) and T3 (2.67). The body weights of cows decreased up to 4th fortnight in T1 and up to 3rd fortnight in T2 and T3, then it showed an increasing trend till the end of the experiment in all the treatments. Cows in T1 lost 10 kg body weight but cows in T2 and T3 gained 23 and 12 kg the body weight, respectively. Both the milk and FCM yield differed significantly (p<0.01) among the fortnights. The FCM yield increased up to 2nd fortnight in all the treatments and thereafter, the FCM yield declined gradually as the lactation advanced. The FCM yield (kg/d) was significantly (p<0.05) higher in T3 (10.47) than in T2 (9.81) and T1 (9.68), however, milk yield, SCM yield and milk energy yield did not differ among the treatments as well as among the fortnights. Fat and protein % in milk increased as the lactation advanced. However, fortnightly SNF % in milk showed an irregular trend. The % fat, protein, SNF and total solids in milk differed significantly (p<0.01) among the fortnights. The % fat and protein in milk varied significantly (p<0.01) among the treatments, being lowest in T1 and highest in T3. The feed efficiency for milk production showed a non-significant variation among the treatments as well as among the fortnights, but increased with the increase in UDP level. It is concluded that by increasing the UDP level from 29 to 56 per cent of CP in the diet of medium producing cows, the milk production increases and cost of milk production reduces.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.31 no.10
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• pp.1619-1626
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• 2018

Objective: This study was an attempt to investigate the effect of levels of fungal (Lentinus sajor-caju) treated oil palm fronds (FTOPF) on digestibility, rumen fermentation, and nitrogen balance in goats. Methods: Four 16 month old male crossbred (Thai Native${\times}$Anglo Nubian) goats with initial body weights of $33.5{\pm}1.7kg$ were randomly assigned according to a $4{\times}4$ Latin square design. Four levels of FTOPF were assigned for feed intake. The experimental treatments consisted of 0%, 33%, 67%, and 100% of oil palm fronds (OPF) being replaced by FTOPF. Results: The results revealed that total dry matter intake and nutrient intake were not influenced (p>0.05) by the inclusion of FTOPF. However, the efficiency values of the digestibility of the dry matter, organic matter, crude protein, neutral detergent fiber, acid detergent fiber, and acid detergent lignin on FTOPF were higher (p<0.05) in treatments with 33%, 67%, and 100% of FTOPF compared with 0% of FTOPF. FTOPF feeding did not change the rumen pH, temperature, and $NH_3-N$. However, the FTOPF levels did affect the total volatile fatty acid (VFA), molar proportion of acetate, propionate, butyrate, ratio of acetic (propionic acid and acetic) plus butyric (propionic acid), and production of $CH_4$. The totals of VFA and propionate was lower in goat fed with 0% of FTOPF than in those of the other groups (p<0.05). The amount of nitrogen retention based on g/d/animal or the percentage of nitrogen retained was the lowest the goat fed with 0% of FTOPF (p<0.05), whereas nitrogen intake, excretion, and absorption were not changed among treatments. Conclusion: Based on this study, FTOPF could be effectively used as an alternative roughage source in total mixed ration diets, constituting at least up to 100% of OPF.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.189-197
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• 2006

Twenty small-scale farms of two villages (A and B) were surveyed to identify the feeding traits, milk productivity and nutritional status of lactating cattle and buffalo in Terai, Nepal. Constituents and dry matter (DM) of feed supplied, body condition score (BCS), heart girth (HG), bodyweight (BW), milk yield (MY) and plasma metabolites were obtained in the pasture-sufficient, pasture-decreasing and fodder-shortage periods. Milk yield of 305-day lactation was estimated by the daily MY. The supplies of rice straw and native grass were lower and higher in the pasture-sufficient period than in the other periods, respectively (5.5 kg/day vs. 9.8 kg/day and 3.2 kg/day vs. 0.4 kg/day, respectively, p<0.01). The roughage-supplement rates of the animals were higher in village A than in village B (5.0 vs. 2.2 in cattle and 9.3 vs. 1.8 in buffalo, p<0.01). The variance of feed constituents among the periods and between the villages induced different supplies of CP, NDF and TDN. The concentrations of CP and TDN in the cattle feed were higher in the pasture-sufficient period than in the other periods (9.1% vs. 7.3% and 57.4% vs. 51.0%, respectively, p<0.01). The supplies of CP for cattle and buffalo, and of TDN for buffalo were lower in village A than in village B (7.5% vs. 8.7% and 6.6% vs. 9.1% [p<0.01], and 53.1% vs. 56.2% [p<0.05], respectively). The BCS, HG and BW of the animals were lower in village A than in village B (2.51 vs. 2.86, 156 cm vs. 170 cm and 300 kg vs. 318 kg, respectively in cattle, 2.83 vs. 4.00, 186 cm vs. 216 cm and 429 kg vs. 531 kg, respectively in buffalo, p<0.01). The cattle yielded more milk in the pasture-sufficient period than in the other periods (7.9 liters/day vs. 6.6 liters/day, p<0.01). The 305-day MY of cattle that calved in the fodder-shortage period was lower than that of cattle that calved in the other periods (1,900 liters vs. 2,251 liters, p<0.01). The MYs of cattle and buffalo were lower in village A than in village B (6.2 liters/day vs. 8.1 liters/day and 3.7 liters/day vs. 7.7 liters/day, respectively, p<0.01). The 305-day MY of cattle was lower in village A than in village B (1,935 liters vs. 2,409 liters, p<0.01). The concentrations of plasma albumin and urea nitrogen in cattle were lower in village A than in village B (3.2 g/dl vs. 3.4 g/dl [p<0.01] and 7.4 mg/dl vs. 10.2 mg/dl [p<0.05], respectively). The different supplies of CP, NDF and TDN among the periods and between the villages might have affected MY and nutritional status in cattle and buffalo. It was likely that the lower supplies of CP and TDN for cattle that calved in the fodder-shortage period and in village A lowered the 305-day MY of cattle.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.26 no.9
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• pp.1295-1303
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• 2013

The aim of this study was to determine the effect of different physical forms and urea treatment of rice straw on feed intake, rumen fermentation, and milk production. Four, multiparous Holstein crossbred dairy cows in mid-lactation with initial body weight (BW) of $409{\pm}20kg$ were randomly assigned according to a $4{\times}4$ Latin square design to receive four dietary treatments. The dietary treatments were as follows: untreated, long form rice straw (LRS), urea-treated (5%), long form rice straw (5% ULRS), urea-treated (2.5%), long form rice straw (2.5% ULRS) and urea-treated (2.5%), chopped (4 cm) rice straw (2.5% UCRS). Cows were fed with concentrate diets at a ratio of concentrate to milk yield of 1:2 and rice straw was fed ad libitum. The findings revealed significant improvements in total DM intake and digestibility by using long and short forms of urea-treated rice straw (p<0.05). Ruminal pH was not altered among all treatments (p>0.05), whereas ruminal $NH_3$-N, BUN and MUN were found to be increased (p<0.01) by urea-treated rice straw as compared with untreated rice straw. Volatile fatty acids (VFAs) concentrations especially those of acetic acid were decreased (p<0.05) and those of propionic acid were increased (p<0.05), thus acetic acid:propionic acid was subsequently lowered (p<0.05) in cows fed with long or short forms of urea-treated rice straw. The 2.5% ULRS and 2.5% UCRS had greater microbial protein synthesis and was greatest when cows were fed with 5% ULRS. The urea-treated rice straw fed groups had increased milk yield (p<0.05), while lower feed cost and greater economic return was in the 2.5% ULRS and 2.5% UCRS (p<0.01). From these results, it could be concluded that 2.5% ULRS could replace 5% ULRS used as a roughage source to maintain feed intake, rumen fermentation, efficiency of microbial protein synthesis, milk production and economical return in mid-lactating dairy cows.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.30 no.3
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• pp.379-385
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• 2017

Objective: This study was to examine in vivo digestibility, nitrogen balance and ruminal fermentation of tamarind (Tamarind indica) kernel powder extract residue (TKPER) compared to soybean products and by-products in wethers. Methods: Four wethers with initial body weight (BW) of $51.6{\pm}5.5kg$ were assigned in a $4{\times}4$ Latin square design to investigate nutritional characteristics of TKPER, dry heat soybean (SB), dry soybean curd residue (SBCR) and soybean meal (SBM) feeding with ryegrass straw (R) at a ratio of 1:1 at 2% of BW in dry matter (DM) on a daily basis. Results: The digestibility of DM, crude protein, and ether extract (EE) of TKPER-R diet were 57.0%, 87.0%, and 86.0%, respectively. Higher non-fiber carbohydrates digestibility was observed in TKPER-R diet (83.2%) than in SB-R diet (73.9%, p<0.05). Wethers fed the TKPER-R diet had lower retention of nitrogen (N) and ruminal ammonia nitrogen ($NH_3-N$) contents at 4 h after feeding than those fed the SBM-R diet (p<0.05), which had values similar to the SB-R or SBCR-R diet. The TKPER feeding had higher propionate (C3) and lower butyrate content, as well as lower acetate to propionate ratio (C2:C3) in rumen fluid than SBM feeding at 4 h after feeding (p<0.05). Conclusion: TKPER did not bring any side effect to the wethers although it was lack of fiber, and could be used as a high protein and energy ingredient in concentrate with appropriate roughage to meet the fiber requirement for ruminants.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.31 no.4
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• pp.607-615
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• 2018

Objective: This study was conducted to isolate the cellulolytic microorganism from the rumen of Holstein steers and characterize endoglucanase gene (Cel5A) from the isolated microorganism. Methods: To isolate anaerobic microbes having endoglucanase, rumen fluid was obtained from Holstein steers fed roughage diet. The isolated anaerobic bacteria had 98% similarity with Eubacterium cellulosolvens (E. cellulosolvens) Ce2 (Accession number: AB163733). The Cel5A from isolated E. cellulolsovens sp. was cloned using the published genome sequence and expressed through the Escherichia coli BL21. Results: The maximum activity of recombinant Cel5A (rCel5A) was observed at $50^{\circ}C$ and pH 4.0. The enzyme was constant at the temperature range of $20^{\circ}C$ to $40^{\circ}C$ but also, at the pH range of 3 to 9. The metal ions including $Ca^{2+}$, $K^+$, $Ni^{2+}$,$Mg^{2+}$, and $Fe^{2+}$ increased the endoglucanase activity but the addition of $Mn^{2+}$, $Cu^{2+}$, and $Zn^{2+}$ decreased. The Km and Vmax value of rCel5A were 14.05 mg/mL and $45.66{\mu}mol/min/mg$. Turnover number, Kcat and catalytic efficiency, Kcat/Km values of rCel5A was $96.69(s^{-1})$ and 6.88 (mL/mg/s), respectively. Conclusion: Our results indicated that rCel5A of E. cellulosolvens isolated from Holstein steers had a broad pH range with high stability under various conditions, which might be one of the beneficial characteristics of this enzyme for possible industrial application.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.30 no.10
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• pp.1425-1434
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• 2017

Objective: The main objective of this study was to determine the effect of different diets for early-weaned (EW) calves on rumen development, and how this affects fat deposition in the longissimus dorsi of adult Korean Hanwoo beef cattle. Methods: Three EW groups were established (each n = 12) in which two- week-old Hanwoo calves were fed for ten weeks with milk replacer+concentrate (T1), milk replacer+concentrate+roughage (T2), or milk replacer+concentrate+30% starch (T3); a control group (n = 12) was weaned as normal. At six months, 5 calves of each group were slaughtered and their organs were assessed and rumen papillae growth rates were measured. The remaining calves (n = 7 in each group) were raised to 20 months for further analysis. Results: Twenty-month-old EW calves had a higher body weight (BW), backfat thickness (BF), longissimus dorsi muscle area (LMA) and intramuscular fat (IMF) than the control (p<0.05). Organ growth, rumen histology, and gene expression patterns in the 6-month-old calves were positively related to the development of marbling in the loin, as assessed by ultrasound analysis (p<0.05). In the group fed the starch-enriched diet (T3), higher BW, BF, LMA, and IMF were present. The IMF beef quality score of 20-month-old cattle was 1+ for the T2 and T3 diets and 1 for the T1 diet (p<0.05). Conclusion: Papillae development was significantly greater in calves fed on high-concentrate diets and this may have resulted in the improved beef quality in the EW dietary groups compared to the control.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.33 no.1
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• pp.24-34
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• 2020

Objective: The effects of Pleurotus ostreatus on the feed utilization of broad bean stalks (BBS), rape straw (RS), paddy straw (PS), and corn stalk (CS) was examined. Methods: The four roughages were co-cultured with Pleurotus ostreatus. The chemical composition; enzyme activities of laccase, carboxymethylcellulase (CMCase) and xylanase; carbohydrate and protein fractions (based on The Cornell Net Carbohydrate and Protein System [CNCPS]) were assessed at different days after inoculation (7, 14, 21, 28 d) and un-inoculated roughages (control, 0 d). The digestibility of nutrient components and the gas production of roughage with various incubation times were monitored at 0, 2, 4, 6, 9, 12, 24, 36, 48, 60, and 72 h using an in vitro ruminal fermentation method. Results: A higher CMCase activity (0.1039 U/mL) and earlier time to peak (14 d) were detected in Pleurotus ostreatus cultured with CS (p<0.05). Significantly, the incubation length-dependent responses of cumulative gas production were observed from 24 to 72 hours post fermentation (p<0.05), and these incubation length-dependent effects on cumulative gas production of PS and CS appeared earlier (24 h) for PS and CS than those (48 h) for BBS and RS (p<0.05). The fast-degradable carbohydrate (CA) content for all four roughages significantly increased over time (p<0.05). Nonetheless, increased degradation efficiency for CA treated with Pleurotus ostreatus was detected at both 21 and 28 days of incubation (p<0.05). With the exception of PS (p<0.05), there were no significant difference among the roughages (p>0.05) in slowly-degradable carbohydrate (CB2) at different incubation times (p<0.05). Conclusion: Assessment of the alterations in chemical composition, CNCPS system fractions, and the fermentation kinetics after biological pretreatment may yield a valuable database for evaluating the biological pretreatment of Pleurotus ostreatus in ruminant feed.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.18 no.4
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• pp.502-511
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• 2005

The effects of different levels of crude protein (CP) and cottonseed meal replacing for soybean meal in cassava chips and rice straw-based diets for mid-lactating cows (100-150 day in milk [DIM]), were studied using 32 multiparous Holstein Fresian crossbred dairy cows. Diets containing 10.5, 12.5, 13.7, 14.4% CP of the rations and 0, 12.1, 14.9, 17.8% cottonseed meal were fed to cows for 60 days. Thirty two cows were randomly divided into four dietary treatments using a Randomized complete block design. Four dietary treatments were offered in the form of total mixed ration (TMR) with concentrate to roughage (chopped rice straw) at 60:40 and offered ad libitum. Dry matter (DM) and neutral detergent fiber (NDF) intakes tended to linearly increase with increasing dietary CP levels. Intakes and digestibility of crude protein increased linearly with increasing dietary CP level (p<0.01). Crude protein digestibility of the 10.5% CP diet was lower (p<0.05) than that in diets with higher levels of CP, while there were no significant differences among the other three levels of CP (12.5, 13.7 and 14.4%). Daily milk yield tended to increase with increased CP from 10.5 to 14.4%. Income over feed in terms of US$/kg of milk increased with increased CP from 10.5 to 13.7% and decreased when the CP level was higher than 13.7% (quadratic effect p<0.09). Milk composition was not significantly affected by increasing level of CP, however there were relatively high contents of protein and fat among treatments. The proportion of milk-urea N (MUN), ammonia-N ($NH_3$-N) and bloodurea N (BUN) were closely correlated and increased linearly with increasing CP levels (p<0.01). Balanced diet was found in diet containing 12.5 and 13.7% CP of the rations when BUN and MUN were used as indicators of the protein to energy ratio in the diet. Conclusions can be made that increasing dietary CP levels from 10.5 to 13.7% using cottonseed meal as the main source to completely replace soybean meal was beneficial to cows consuming rice straw and cassava chips based-diets. Increasing the CP level above 13.7% of total ration did not additionally improve milk yield and composition or net income.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.17 no.3
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• pp.343-348
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• 2004

The objective of the present study was to determine the plasma level of insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) in relation to mammary blood flow and milk yield including biological variables of relevance to milk synthesis in two different types of crossbred Holstein cattle at 3 different stages of lactation. Eight heifers were 87.5% HF and eight 50% HF animals were selected for the experiments. The three stages of lactation tested were: early lactation (30 days postpartum), mid-lactation (120 days postpartum) and late lactation (210 days postpartum). Animals in each group were fed a concentrate and rice straw treated with 5% urea as the source of roughage throughout the experiments. In early lactation, mammary blood flow and milk yield of 87.5% HF animals were significantly higher than those of 50% HF animals. In mid- and late lactation, both mammary blood flow and milk yield showed a proportional decrease from the early lactating period of 87.5% HF animals. The trends for persistency were observed in 50% HF animals as for udder blood flow and milk yield throughout the experimental periods. The plasma glucose level of the 50% HF animals was significantly higher than those of 87.5% HF animals in both early and mid-lactation. The concentrations of arterial plasma free fatty acids ($C_{16}\;to\;C_{18}$) were higher in 50% HF animals as compared with 87.5% HF animals in all periods of study. In early lactation, the concentration of plasma growth hormone (GH) of 87.5% HF animals was higher than those of the 50% HF animals, thereafter the mean level of plasma growth hormone declined in both mid- and late lactation. The concentration of plasma IGF-I of 50% HF animals was significantly higher than those of 87.5% HF animals in all stages of lactation. There were no differences among stages of lactation for the levels of plasma IGF-I, insulin and growth hormone in 50% HF animals. In 87.5% HF animals, the plasma levels of both IGF-I and insulin were lower in early lactating period while it showed an increase during mid- and late lactation. The present results indicated that the regulatory role for the higher mammary blood flow and milk yield during lactation in 87.5% HF are not mediated via the higher level of circulating IGF-I. Differences in mammary blood flow and milk yield between 50% HF and 87.5% HF animals are in part due to a higher concentration of circulating growth hormone. The lower level of circulating growth hormone in 50% HF animals would be regulated by higher levels of IGF-I, free fatty acid and glucose in plasma.