• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
• /
• v.13 no.6
• /
• pp.830-836
• /
• 2000

A participation scheme involving smallholder dairy farmers in improving dairy productivity through the use of local feeds, on-farm established feeds and crop residues was carried out in the Northeast, Thailand. At six milk collection centers, 63 farmers with 340 lactating cows participated in this research and demonstration of feed supplements. Farmers and cows were allotted to receive respective feed supplements: high-quality feed block (HQFB), high-quality feed pellet (HQFP), dried cassava leaf/cassava hay, dried leucaena leaf and cottonseed meal: 5% urea treated rice straw was fed as a source of roughage throughout the feeding period of the dry season. Trainings and workshops were organized by the researchers at the University, research station, demonstration sites and on-farms. Regular visits to the fartns by researchers and extension officers were made while discussions and demonstrations were performed in addition. Participating farmers also visited other farmers during the demonstration which offered a real practical perspective and farmer-to-farmer interaction. As a result of this participation and demonstration scheme, the farmers could learn more effectively and accepted the technology more readily, especially the practicality of the feed preparation, feed establishment, feeding method and feed reserve. Strategic supplementation of these feed supplements resulted in improving milk yield, milk quality, overall condition of the cows and higher income return through increased productivity and lower level use of concentrate to milk yield from 1:2 to 1:3 or lower. Based on this research and demonstration /participation scheme, all feed supplements enhanced productivity, however the establishment of cassava hay on fartns deserved more attention and warrants a wider developmental expansion among dairy farmers since it contained high rumen by-pass protein (tannin-protein complex) and could be easily produced and be sustainable on farms.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
• /
• v.33 no.6
• /
• pp.941-948
• /
• 2020

Objective: This study was carried out to determine the effects of elevated dietary cation and anion difference (DCAD) on dry matter intake (DMI) and ruminal fermentation pattern in lactating dairy goats under tropical conditions. Methods: Ten dairy goats were divided into two groups of five animals each. The groups received diets at different DCAD levels, either a control diet (22.81 mEq/100 g dry matter [DM], DCAD-23) or a DCAD-39 diet (39.08 mEq/100 g DM, DCAD-39). After parturition, DMI and water intake were recorded daily. Ruminal fluid and urine were collected, and nutrient digestibility measurements were carried out at 8th weeks postpartum (PP-8). Blood samples were collected at PP-4 and PP-8 to measure plasma leptin. Results: Dry matter intake/body weight (DMI/BW) at PP-8 of the animals fed the DCAD-39 diet was significantly higher than those fed with DCAD-23 diet (p<0.05). Animals fed with DCAD-39 consumed more water than those fed DCAD-23 over 24 h, particularly at night (p<0.05). Ruminal pH, acetate concentration, and urinary allantoin excretion increased with the DCAD-39 diet, whereas ruminal butyrate concentration was lower with the DCAD-39 diet. On the other hand, other ruminal parameters, such as total volatile fatty acid concentration, propionate molar proportion and acetate/propionate average ratio, were not affected by increased DCAD supplementation. Apparent digestibility was improved by increased DCAD supplementation. Plasma leptin concentration was higher with DCAD supplementation. Conclusion: When feeding goats with DCAD-39 under tropical conditions, an increase in DMI was associated with improved apparent digestibility of nutrients, ruminal fermentation and microbial protein synthesis. An increase in plasma leptin concentration could not explain the effect of high DCAD on DMI.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
• /
• v.29 no.1
• /
• pp.51-61
• /
• 2016

In order to provide recommendations on the most useful forage species to smallholder farmers, eleven grass and eleven legume forages grown in Abomey-Calavi in Republic of Benin were investigated for nutritive value (i.e. chemical composition and energy content) and fermentation characteristics (i.e. gas and volatile fatty acid production, organic matter degradability). The in vitro gas production technique was used, incubating the forages for 120 h under anaerobic condition with buffalo rumen fluid. Compared to legume, tropical grass forages showed lower energy (8.07 vs 10.57 MJ/kg dry matter [DM]) and crude protein level (16.10% vs 19.91% DM) and higher cell wall content (neutral detergent fiber: 63.8% vs 40.45% DM), respectively. In grass forages, the chemical composition showed a quite high crude protein content; the in vitro degradability was slightly lower than the range of tropical pasture. The woody legumes were richer in protein and energy and lower in structural carbohydrates than herbaceous plants, however, their in vitro results are influenced by the presence of complex compounds (i.e. tannins). Significant correlations were found between chemical composition and in vitro fermentation characteristics. The in vitro gas production method appears to be a suitable technique for the evaluation of the nutritive value of forages in developing countries.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
• /
• v.4 no.1
• /
• pp.91-97
• /
• 1991

Twenty five 75% Holstein Friesian cross bred bullocks fed rice straw (Oryza sativa) of long form, were fed with the following five treatments. 1. Rice straw, untreated (RS) 2. RS + water (1:1), stored for 24 hours (WRS) 3. RS (100 kg) + urea solution (4 kg urea/100 litre water) and dried (USRS) 4. RS (100 kg) + urea solution (as in 3) stored in wet condition for 24 hours (UWRS) 5. RS (100 kg) + urea solution (as in 3) stored in pit for 21 days (UTRS). Potential digestibility of treatments of RS was evaluated by monitoring (in vitro) Simulating Rumen like Fermentation (SRLF). The results indicated that Dry Matter Intake (DMI), digestibility of nutrients, N utilization were of the order UTRS > UWRS > USRS > WRS and RS (p < 0.05 to p < 0.01). SRLF index was high (255.84) for UTRS and least (145.58) for USRS. It was intermediary (199.66) for UWRS. The acetyl content (AC) of UTRS with higher hemicellulose (HCE) digestibility (80.8%) was low compared to UWRS, USRS, RS and WRS. The acetate content was of the order UTRS < UWRS < USRS < WRS and RS thereby indicating that reduction in acetyl content was an index of positive response of urea-treatment of RS. In addition, the ratio of HCE/AC in faeces of UTRS was 0.87 as against the ratios (2.26-2.48) observed in other treatments recording reduction in AC due to urea-treatment. Among the treatments, USRS only supplemented N while UTRS in addition to utilization N, increased the digestibility of structural carbohydrates. Reduction in treatment time from 21 days to 1 day (UWRS) resulted in improvements similar to those of UTRS.

• Journal of Animal Science and Technology
• /
• v.58 no.6
• /
• pp.22.1-22.15
• /
• 2016

Background: Dietary manipulation is a common practice to mitigate gaseous emission from livestock production facilities, and the variation of fat level in the diet has shown great influence on ruminal volatile fatty acids (VFA) and enteric methane generation. The changes in dietary fat levels influence rumen chemistry that could modify manure nutrient composition along with odor and gaseous emissions from manure management facilities. Methods: A field experiment was carried out on beef cattle feedlots to investigate the effect of four levels of dietary fat concentrations (3 to 5.5 %) on the manure composition and gaseous emissions (methane-$CH_4$, nitrous oxide-$N_2O$, carbon dioxide-$CO_2$ and hydrogen sulfide-$H_2S$) from the feedlot pen surface. The experiment was carried out over a 5-month period from June to October during North Dakota's summer-fall climatic condition. Air and manure sampling was conducted five times at a 20-30 day intervals. Results: Overall, this research indicated that fat levels in diet have no or little effect on the nutrient composition of manure and gaseous emission from the pens with cattle fed with different diet. Though significant variation of gaseous emission and manure composition were observed between different sampling periods, no effect of high fat diet was observed on manure composition and gaseous emission. Conclusions: It can be concluded that addition of fat to animal diet may not have any impact on gaseous emission and manure compositions.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
• /
• v.22 no.6
• /
• pp.812-818
• /
• 2009

This study evaluated the effects of live yeast and yeast cell-wall mannan-oligosaccharide supplementation onperformance and nutrient digestibility during early lactation in cows fed a diet based on a mixture of corn silage and alfalfa hay as forage sources. Eight multiparous Holstein dairy cows (average days in milk, 27${\pm}$6) were used in a replicated 4${\times}$4 Latin square design. Diets contained 45% forage and 55% concentrate on a dry matter (DM) basis and treatments were: i) basal diet without additive (Control), ii) basal diet with 32 g/d of mannan-oligosaccharides (MOS), iii) basal diet with $1.2{\times}10^{10}$ colony forming units per day (cfu/d) of live yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae CNCM 1-1077; SC), and iv) basal diet with a mixture of MOS (32 g/d) and SC ($1.2{\times}10^{10}$ cfu/d; MOS+SC). Treatments had no effect (p>0.05) on DM intake and yields of milk, 3.5% fat-(FCM) and energy-corrected milk (ECM), and on milk fat percentage, body condition score and blood metabolites. Compared with the Control, only supplementation of SC resulted in numerically higher yields of FCM (41.9 vs. 40.1 kg/d) and ECM (41.8 vs. 40.3 kg/d), and milk fat percentage (3.64 vs. 3.43%). While the MOS diet had no effects on performance compared to the Control, the combination treatment MOS+SC increased milk protein percentage (p<0.05). Also, the MOS supplementation, both alone or in combination with SC, numerically increased milk fat percentage. The SC supplementation increased apparent digestibility of DM and crude protein while the MOS supplementation did not affect digestibility. Concentrations of total volatile fatty acids (VFA) and ruminal pH were similar across treatments. Overall results indicated that supplementation of MOS produced variable and inconsistent effects on rumen metabolism and performance, whereas SC supplementation improved nutrient digestibility and numerically increased FCM and ECM yields, which could not be enhanced by the combined supplementation of MOS+SC. According to our experimental condition, there was no effect of MOS alone or in combination with SC on dairy cow performance.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
• /
• v.35 no.1
• /
• pp.197-203
• /
• 1995

The effects of diet composition, reproductive condition and ketonuria and ketosis on the composition of rumen volatil fatty acids(VFA) and the blood lipid concentration were investigated in Holstein dairy cows. Six healthy cows(Group I), 9 ketonuric cows (Group II) and 8 ketotic cows(Group III) were examined at days 13-15 pre-partum(PRP) and at day 15 post-partum(POP). The ratios of concentrated feed supplied at PRP and POP were 0% and 15%, respectively, in Group I, 25% and 67% in Group II, and were 30% and 46% in Group III. The fulfillment rates of total digestive nutrient(TDN) and digestive coarse protein(DCP) increased at POP in each group. Although total VFA concentrations were lower at POP than at PRP in each group, the concentrations at PRP and POP were higher in Group I than in Groups II and III. The molar ratio of acetic acid decreased at POP in Group I, while the ratio increased at POP in Groups II and III. The molar ratio of propionic acid increased at POP in Group I, while it decreased in Groups II and III. Blood total cholesterol, free cholesterol, cholesterol esters, HDL-cholesterol, phospholipid and free fatty acid concentrations decreased at POP in all three groups, but these levels were low in Group I, high in Group III and intermediate in Group II at PRP and POP. Triglyceride concentration decreased after parturition in these three groups, but the decrease was most striking conspicuous in Group III.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
• /
• v.17 no.11
• /
• pp.1541-1552
• /
• 2004

The effect of eight varieties of whole crop rice silage (WCRS) harvested at four stages of maturity were investigated for in situ DM and N degradability, ME and MP yield and content in an 8${\times}$4 factorial experiment. The varieties were Akichikara, Fukuhibiki, Habataki, Hamasari, Hokuriku 168, Kusanami, Tamakei 96 and Yumetoiro. Hamasari and Kusanami were forage varieties while all others were grain varieties. Forages were harvested on 10, 22, 34 and 45 days after flowering, ensiled and kept in airtight condition. Between 45 and 49 days after ensiling, silages opened, chopped and milled green to pass through 4 mm screen. Samples were incubated in the rumen of two Holstein steers for 0, 3, 6, 9, 12, 24, 48, 72 and 96 h over eight 4 d periods. Bags at 0 h were washed in a washing machine. Variety affected DM (p<0.001: except 'a+b', p<0.01) and N (p<0.001) degradability characteristics of WCRS. Stages of maturity also affected DM (p<0.001: except 'a+b', p<0.05; 'c', p<0.08) and N (p<0.01: except 'c', p<0.05) degradability characteristics of WCRS. Interactions between variety and stages of maturity occurred in all DM (p<0.001) and N (p<0.001) degradability characteristics except (p>0.05) for DM 'b', DM 'c', DM 'a+b' nd N 'c'. Effective DM degradability was higher in grain varieties than forage varieties and degradability increased with maturity. N availability decreased only slightly with maturity. Variety was the key factor for N degradability characteristics of WCRS since variety accounted for most of the total variation for degradability characteristics. Both ME and MP content and yield were higher (p<0.001) in grain varieties, and they increased (p<0.001) with the maturity. The results clearly demonstrated that the grain type varieties contained higher ME and MP content than forage varieties, and increase in maturity increases both ME and MP content of WCRS.

• Korean Journal of Organic Agriculture
• /
• v.22 no.4
• /
• pp.801-813
• /
• 2014

A study was conducted to improve the biological activity of two medicinal plants, Eucommia ulmoides Oliv. and Glycyrrhiza uralensis, by fermentation. The biological activity was assessed by determining antibacterial, antioxidant and antimethanogenic properties. Fermentation was achieved by adding the plant materials in MRS broth at 10% (w/v) and different starter cultures at 1% (v/v). Condition for fermentation were incubation temperature of $30^{\circ}C$ and agitation at 150 rpm for 48 h. Six starter cultures, Weissella confusa NJ28 (Genbank accession number KJ914897), Weissella cibaria NJ33 (Genbank accession number KJ914898), Lactobacillus curvatus NJ40 (Genbank accession number KJ914899), Lactobacillus brevis NJ42 (Genbank accession number KJ914900), Lactobacillus plantarum NJ45 (Genbank accession number KJ914901) and Lactobacillus sakei NJ48 (Genbank accession number KJ914902) were used. Antibacterial activity was observed in L. curvatus NJ40 and L. plantarum NJ45 only as opposed to other treatments, including the non-fermented groups, which showed no antibacterial activity. Both plants showed antioxidant activity, although E. ulmoides Oliv. had lower activity than G. uralensis. However, fermentation by all strains significantly improved (p<0.05), antioxidant activity in both plants compared to non-fermented treatment. Six treatments were based on antibacterial activity results, selected for in vitro rumen fermentation; 1) non-fermented E. ulmoides, 2) fermented E. ulmoides NJ40, 3) fermented E. ulmoides NJ45, 4) non-fermented G. uralensis, 5) fermented G. uralensis NJ40, 6) fermented G. uralensis NJ45. A negative control was also added, making a total of 7 treatments for the in vitro experiment. Medicinal plant-based treatments significantly improved (p<0.05) total volatile fatty acid (VFA) concentration. Significant methane reduction per mol of VFA were observed in G. uralensis (p<0.05). Based on the present study, fermentation improves the biological activity of E. ulmoides Oliv. and G. uralensis. Fermented G. uralensis could also be applied as an enteric methane mitigating agent in ruminant animals.

• Animal Bioscience
• /
• v.37 no.8
• /
• pp.1387-1397
• /
• 2024

Objective: The objective of the current study was to find out the independent and interactive effects of prilled fat supplementation with protein on the production performance of early lactating Nili Ravi buffaloes. Methods: Sixteen early lactating buffaloes (36.75±5.79 d in milk; mean±standard error) received 4 treatments in 4×4 Latin-square design according to 2×2 factorial arrangements. The dietary treatments were: i) low protein low fat, ii) low protein high fat, iii) high protein low fat, and iv) high protein high fat. The dietary treatments contained 2 protein (8.7% and 11.7% crude protein) and fat levels (2.6% and 4.6% ether extract) on a dry matter basis. Results: The yields of milk and fat increased with increasing protein and fat independently (p≤0.05). Energy-, protein-, and fat-corrected milk yields also increased with increasing protein and fat independently (p≤0.05). Increasing dietary protein increased the protein yield by 3.75% and lactose yield by 3.15% and increasing dietary fat supplies increased the fat contents by 3.93% (p≤0.05). Milk yield and fat-corrected milk to dry matter intake ratios were increased at high protein and high fat levels (p≤0.05). Milk nitrogen efficiency was unaffected by dietary fat (p>0.10), whereas it decreased with increasing protein supplies (p≤0.05). Plasma urea nitrogen and cholesterol were increased by increasing protein and fat levels, respectively (p≤0.05). The values of predicted methane production reduced with increasing dietary protein and fat. Conclusion: It is concluded that prilled fat and protein supplies increased milk and fat yield along with increased ratios of milk yield and fat-corrected milk yields to dry matter intake. However, no interaction was observed between prilled fat and protein supplementation for production parameters, body weight, body condition score and blood metabolites. Predicted methane production decreased with increasing protein and fat levels.