• Animal Bioscience
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• v.34 no.7
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• pp.1146-1156
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• 2021

Objective: The aim of the study was to compare the effect of two plant additives, rich in polyphenolic compounds, supplemented to sheep diets on microorganisms and carbohydrate fermentation in rumen. Methods: In the experiment, 6 ewes of the Polish Mountain breed were fitted with ruminal cannulas. Sheep were divided into three feeding groups. The study was performed in a cross-over design of two animals in each group, with three experimental periods (n = 6 per each group). The animals were fed a control diet (CON) or additionally received 3 g of dry and milled lingonberry leaves (VVI) or oak bark (QUE). Additionally, plant material was analyzed for tannins concentration. Results: Regardless of sampling time, QUE diet increased the number of total protozoa, as well as Entodinium spp., Diplodinium spp. and Isotrichidae family, while decreased bacterial mass. In turn, a reduced number of Diplodinium spp. and increased Ophryoscolex spp. population were noted in VVI fed sheep. During whole sampling time (0, 2, 4, and 8 h), the number of protozoa in ruminal fluid of QUE sheep was gradually reduced as opposed to animals receiving CON and VVI diet, where rapid shifts in the protozoa number were observed. Moreover, supplementing sheep with QUE diet increased molar proportions of butyrate and isoacids in ruminal fluid. Unfortunately, none of the tested additives affected gas production. Conclusion: The addition of VVI or QUE in a small dose to sheep diets differently affected rumen microorganisms and fermentation parameters, probably because of various contribution of catechins in tested plant materials. However, it is stated that QUE diet seems to create more favorable conditions for growth and development of ciliates. Nonetheless, the results of the present study showed that VVI and QUE additives could serve as potential natural modulators of microorganism populations and, consequently, carbohydrate digestion in ruminants.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.14 no.4
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• pp.567-586
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• 2001

Gastrointestinal tract of ruminants as well as monogastric animals are colonised by a variety of microorganisms including bacteria, fungi and protozoa. Gastrointestinal ecosystem, especially the rumen is emerging as an important source for enrichment and natural selection of microbes adapted to specific conditions. It represents a virtually untapped source of novel products (e.g. enzymes, antibiotics, bacteriocins, detoxificants and aromatic compounds) for industrial and therapeutic applications. Several gastrointestinal bacteria and fungi implicated in detoxification of anti-nutritional factors (ANFs) can be modified and manipulated into promising system for detoxifying feed stuffs and enhancing fibre fermentation both naturally by adaptation or through genetic engineering techniques. Intestinal lactobacilli, bifidobacteria and butyrivibrios are being thoroughly investigated and widely recommended as probiotics. Restriction endonucleases and native plasmids, as stable vectors and efficient DNA delivery systems of ruminal and intestinal bacteria, are increasingly recognised as promising tools for genetic manipulation and development of industrially useful recombinant microbes. Enzymes can improve the nutrient availability from feed stuffs, lower feed costs and reduce release of wastes into the environment. Characterization of genes encoding a variety of commercially important enzymes such as cellulases, xylanases, $\beta$-glucanases, pectinases, amylases and phytases will foster the development of more efficacious and viable enzyme supplements and enzyme expression systems for enhancing livestock production.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.36-45
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• 2014

The objective of this study was to determine the effects of protein sources and roughage (R) to concentrate (C) ratio on in vitro fermentation parameters using a gas production technique. The experimental design was a $2{\times}5$ factorial arrangement in a completely randomized design (CRD). Factor A was 2 levels of protein sources yeast fermented cassava chip protein (YEFECAP) and soybean meal (SBM) and factor B was 5 levels of roughage to concentrate (R:C) ratio at 80:20, 60:40, 40:60, 20:80, and 0:100, respectively. Rice straw was used as a roughage source. It was found that gas production from the insoluble fraction (b) of YEFECAP supplemented group was significantly higher (p<0.05) than those in SBM supplemented group. Moreover, the intercept value (a), gas production from the insoluble fraction (b), gas production rate constants for the insoluble fraction (c), potential extent of gas production (a+b) and cumulative gas production at 96 h were influenced (p<0.01) by R:C ratio. In addition, protein source had no effect (p>0.05) on ether in vitro digestibility of dry matter (IVDMD) and organic (IVOMD) while R:C ratio affected the IVDMD and IVOMD (p<0.01). Moreover, YEFECAP supplanted group showed a significantly increased (p<0.05) total VFA and $C_3$ while $C_2$, $C_2:C_3$ and $CH_4$ production were decreased when compared with SBM supplemented group. In addition, a decreasing R:C ratio had a significant effect (p<0.05) on increasing total VFA, $C_3$ and $NH_3$-N, but decreasing the $C_2$, $C_2:C_3$ and CH4 production (p<0.01). Furthermore, total bacteria, Fibrobacter succinogenes, Ruminococcus flavefaciens and Ruminococcus albus populations in YEFECAP supplemented group were significantly higher (p<0.05) than those in the SBM supplemented group while fungal zoospores, methanogens and protozoal population remained unchanged (p>0.05) as compared between the two sources of protein. Moreover, fungal zoospores and total bacteria population were significantly increased (p<0.01) while, F. succinogenes, R. flavefaciens, R. albus, methanogens and protozoal population were decreased (p<0.01) with decreasing R:C ratio. In conclusion, YEFECAP has a potential for use as a protein source for improving rumen fermentation efficiency in ruminants.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
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• v.55 no.2
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• pp.75-80
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• 2015

Calf losses have an economic impact on larger Korean native cattle (KNC) breeding farms due to replacement, productivity, and marketing. However, little research on KNC calf mortality or causes of calf death on large-scale breeding farms has been conducted. Based on medical records and autopsy findings from the Hanwoo experimental station of the National Institute of Animal Science, calf death records from 2002 to 2011 were used to identify the causes of mortality. Mortality rate of KNC calves was 5.7%. Large differences (1.8~12.6%) in yearspecific mortalities were observed. Calf deaths were due to digestive diseases (68.7%), respiratory diseases (20.9%), accidents (6.0%), and other known diseases (2.2%). The main cause of calf death was enteritis followed by pneumonia, rumen indigestion, and intestinal obstruction. The greatest number of calf deaths occurred during the fall followed by summer. These results indicated that enteritis and pneumonia were the main reasons for calf death. However, autopsy findings demonstrated that other factors also caused calf death. This study suggested that seasonal breeding and routine vaccinations are the most important factors for preventing calf death, and improving calf health in high land areas with low temperature.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.157-163
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• 1997

This paper analyses a number of important areas relating to methane production in ruminants, consequent hazards and different methods of reducing this gas. Clearly methane not only affects on the environment but also on the economy of animal production. Several factors including feed, species, microbes, rumen environment, etc. are responsible for methane production in animals. Although methane production can be reduced by chemical manipulation, defaunation and strategic feeding, the latter was found to be effective because the method is easier to follow than the others. Furthermore, feeding technology could play an important role in reducing methane production particularly in developing countries because of its relative cost effectiveness. however, it needs to compare to what extent it could reduce methane production as well as cost of animal production. Therefore, research program needs to be concentrated on the appropriate feeding system to reduce methane production, consequently pollution and cost of production particularly in developing countries.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.8 no.3
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• pp.213-217
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• 1995

Leucaena leucocephala (lam. de Wit) is a multipurpose leguminous tree/shrub, promoted extensively for reforestation and rural development programmes, as well as in ruminant production. After a year of establishment in the plots, the overall leaves and twigs yield was on average 0.92 kg/plant, containing an average 23.34, 10.61, 5.32 and 10.13 percent CP, CF, and ash, respectively. The proximate and mineral compositions are affected by factors such as stage of maturity, type of cultivar, seasons, cutting intervals, different plant parts. Though leucaena contains toxic mimosine and tannins, these are not always deleterious for ruminants and rumen microbes can often degrade toxic factors into a nontoxic utilizable product Mimosine content is generally higher in the seed than other plant parts. Leucaena supplementation in ruminant ration showed higher digestibility co-efficient of proximate component, which may results in higher productivity. Considering its productivity, composition and nutritive value. L. Leucocephala could be more widely used as a protein source for ruminants in tropical and sub-tropical countries.

• Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.27
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• pp.18-28
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• 1984

In order to improve feed values of Korean agricultural by-products, various treatments including physical, chemical, physicochemical and fermentation were suggested in th is review article. Physical treatments such as chopping, grinding and pelleting reduce partiole size of agricultural by-products, and increase passage rate from the rumen, thus may increase voluntary feed intake and weight gain. Digestibility and voluntary feed intake of straw, rice hull and sawdust, also, may be increased by chemical treatment using sodium hydroxide or ammonia. Especially, because nitrogen content of by-products increase and toxic problem is not posed by ammonia treatment, it's practical usage is recommended in Korea. Silage or fermentation treatment using principles of microbial fermentation may improve palatability of low quality by-products. As mentioned above, it is concluded that various treatments suggested are desirable and improve feed value but may raise several problems. Unfortunately, because cost for installation and products is great and processing work is complicate, farmers are not using well these processing methods until now. Therefore, in order to increase the practical usage at farm level, it is thought that many research works be achieved for efficient process which have simple operation and low installation cost.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.12 no.3
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• pp.493-502
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• 1999

Majority of livestocks are kept in the tropics. Demand for animal products (meat and milk) is continuously increasing and is related to human population growth. Consequently, potential feeds should be continuously identified particularly on their nutritive values. Crop residues and agricultural by-products are the main feed sources for feeding livestock in the tropics. Their nutritive values ranging from low to medium quality level although Some agricultural by-products such as cotton seed meal and coconut meal are rich in nitrogaen contents. From literatures, nutritive values in these ingredients are mainly based on their chemical composition and to some extent based on limited number of in vivo studies. However, optimum of inclusion in the diet is suggested. Development of tree legumes should be thoroughly considered since they grow well in most tropical regions. In order to improve nutritive value of tropical feeds, biological treatments should be considered. Effect of secondary compounds decreasing efficiency of nutrient utilization in the rumen, to some extent could be reduced by introducing probiotics.

• Korean Journal of Agricultural Science
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• v.48 no.2
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• pp.333-342
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• 2021

This study attempted to compare total digestible nutrients (TDN) calculated as Rohweder, NRC, and Waldo and Peiqiang methods and TDN measured as digestibility of in vivo appearance. Rohweder method showed that the TDN of rice straw and timothy were 54.32% and 57.79%, respectively. In NRC method, the digestibility of neutral detergent fiber (NDF) and TDN of rice straw were 50.76% and 53.15%, respectively. When NRC method was applied in Timothy, the digestibility of NDF and TDN were 51.53% and 55.22%, respectively. Waldo and Peiqiang method calculated the results through the rumen in situ test. NDF digestibility of rice straw and timothy was 44.61% and 51.82%, which was different from the results of NRC method. In addition, TDN was predicted to be 48.85% for rice straw and 55.41% for timothy. In the in vivo apparent digestibility experiment, the digestibility of NDF and TDN in rice straw was 41.10% and 44.79%, respectively. In timothy, the digestibility of NDF and TDN were measured as 51.29% and 58.18%, respectively. As a result of a series of studies, rice straw was found in Rohweder and NRC methods showed higher TDN than other methods. In this study, there was a difference in rice straw by measurement method, but there was no difference in timothy. Therefore, when evaluating the value of feed in order to provide roughage to ruminant, calculation methods must be modified and supplemented. In addition, TDN should be considered to apply several evaluation methods instead of one method.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.5 no.1
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• pp.107-112
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• 1992

Feeding of bypass protein to lactating animals have been suggested by many research scientists as a way to increase the nutrient supply at the intestinal level thereby enhance animal production in ruminant animals. A feeding trial with a formulated bypass protein feed on straw based ration was carried out by using lactating cross bred cows at the stage of 4th month of their lactation. Bypass protein feed was fed at 5 different levels. Urea Molasses Block was used as a nitrogen source to the rumen microflora. In order to reduce the heat increment straw intake was restricted to all the animals. Urea Molasses Block intake was noticed varying in proportion with the bypass protein feed intake. Milk production was observed increasing in accordance with the level of bypass protein feed intake. However, the maximum response was noticed in cows that were fed 3 kg bypass protein feed. The nutrient availability at this stage was below the NRC (1988) requirements. Other remarkable finding was that the cows maintained the persistency of milk production even after 3rd month of lactation when the ambient temperature was $40^{\circ}C$.