• Journal of Animal Science and Technology
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• v.56 no.4
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• pp.14.1-14.7
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• 2014

Two trials were conducted to evaluate the influence of supplemental urea withdrawal on characteristics of digestion (Trial 1) and growth performance (Trial 2) of feedlot cattle during the last 40 days on feed. Treatments consisted of a steam-flaked corn-based finishing diet supplemented with urea to provide urea fermentation potential (UFP) of 0, 0.6, and 1.2%. In Trial 1, six Holstein steers ($160{\pm}10kg$) with cannulas in the rumen and proximal duodenum were used in a replicated $3{\times}3$ Latin square experiment. Decreasing supplemental urea decreased (linear effect, $P{\leq}0.05$) ruminal OM digestion. This effect was mediated by decreases (linear effect, $P{\leq}0.05$) in ruminal digestibility of NDF and N. Passage of non-ammonia and microbial N (MN) to the small intestine decreased (linear effect, P = 0.04) with decreasing dietary urea level. Total tract digestion of OM (linear effect, P = 0.06), NDF (linear effect, P = 0.07), N (linear effect, P = 0.04) and dietary DE (linear effect, P = 0.05) decreased with decreasing urea level. Treatment effects on total tract starch digestion, although numerically small, likewise tended (linear effect, P = 0.11) to decrease with decreasing urea level. Decreased fiber digestion accounted for 51% of the variation in OM digestion. Ruminal pH was not affected by treatments averaging 5.82. Decreasing urea level decreased (linear effect, $P{\leq}0.05$) ruminal N-NH and blood urea nitrogen. In Trial 2, 90 crossbred steers ($468kg{\pm}8$), were used in a 40 d feeding trial (5 steers/pen, 6 pens/treatment) to evaluate treatment effects on final-phase growth performance. Decreasing urea level did not affect DMI, but decreased (linear effect, $P{\leq}0.03$) ADG, gain efficiency, and dietary NE. It is concluded that in addition to effects on metabolizable amino acid flow to the small intestine, depriving cattle of otherwise ruminally degradable N (RDP) during the late finishing phase may negatively impact site and extent of digestion of OM, depressing ADG, gain efficiency, and dietary NE.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.22 no.7
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• pp.915-922
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• 2009

Ruminants possess the capacity to digest very large amounts of starch. However, in many cases diets approach 60% starch and even small inefficiencies present opportunities for energetic losses. Ruminal starch digestion is typically 75-80% of starch intake. On average, 35-60% of starch entering the small intestine is degraded. Of the fraction that escapes small-intestinal digestion, 35-50% is degraded in the large intestine. The low digestibility in the large intestine and the inability to reclaim microbial cells imposes a large toll on post-ruminal digestive efficiency. Therefore, digestibility in the small intestine must be optimized. The process of starch assimilation in the ruminant is complex and remains an avenue by which increases in production efficiency can be gained. A more thorough description of these processes is needed before we can accurately predict digestion occurring in the small intestine and formulate diets to optimize site of starch digestion.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.20 no.6
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• pp.887-893
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• 2007

Influences of forage DM and addition of cane molasses on silage characteristics of berseem (Trifolium alexandrium) and lucerne (Medicago sativa) and their ruminal digestion kinetics in Nili buffaloes were studied. Berseem and lucerne fodders (at one tenth bloom) were ensiled with wheat straw in laboratory silos to achieve 20, 30, 40% forage DM and without wheat straw (control); each forage DM level was supplemented with 2, 4 and 6% of cane molasses at ensiling. The pH and lactic acid contents of berseem and lucerne silages were affected by both forage DM and addition of molasses. Dry matter, CP and true protein (TP) of berseem and lucerne silages were affected by forage DM at ensiling but were not affected by the addition of cane molasses. Higher DM, CP and TP losses were observed when berseem and lucerne fodders were ensiled either without wheat straw or with wheat straw to achieve 20% and 40% forage DM at ensiling compared with 30% DM at ensiling. Fiber fractions (NDF, ADF, hemicellulose and cellulose) of berseem silage and lucerne silage were significantly increased with increasing forage DM at ensiling. Addition of cane molasses did not affect the DM, CP, TP and fiber fractions of both berseem and lucerne silages. Berseem and lucerne ensiled at 30% DM with 2% cane molasses were screened for comparative ruminal digestion kinetics with their respective fodders. Addition of wheat straw to berseem or lucerne fodder at ensiling depressed DM and NDF ruminal degradability. However, ruminal lag time, rate of degradation and extent of digestion of silages were similar to their respective fodders. In conclusion, berseem and lucerne could be ensiled with wheat straw to increase their DM to 30% along with 2% molasses for buffaloes.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.28 no.9
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• pp.1288-1295
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• 2015

In experiment 1, eighty crossbred steers ($239{\pm}15kg$) were used in a 229-d experiment to evaluate the effects of increasing levels of enzymatically hydrolyzed yeast (EHY) cell wall in diets on growth performance feedlot cattle during periods of elevated ambient temperature. Treatments consisted of steam-flaked corn-based diets supplemented to provide 0, 1, 2, or 3 g EHY/hd/d. There were no effects on growth performance during the initial 139-d period. However, from d 139 to harvest, when 24-h temperature humidity index averaged 80, EHY increased dry matter intake (DMI) (linear effect, p<0.01) and average daily gain (ADG) (linear effect, p = 0.01). There were no treatment effects (p>0.10) on carcass characteristics. In experiment 2, four Holstein steers ($292{\pm}5kg$) with cannulas in the rumen and proximal duodenum were used in a $4{\times}4$ Latin Square design experiment to evaluate treatments effects on characteristics of ruminal and total tract digestion in steers. There were no treatment effects (p>0.10) on ruminal pH, total volatile fatty acid, molar proportions of acetate, butyrate, or estimated methane production. Supplemental EHY decreased ruminal molar proportion of acetate (p = 0.08), increased molar proportion of propionate (p = 0.09), and decreased acetate:propionate molar ratio (p = 0.07) and estimated ruminal methane production (p = 0.09). It is concluded that supplemental EHY may enhance DMI and ADG of feedlot steers during periods of high ambient temperature. Supplemental EHY may also enhance ruminal fiber digestion and decrease ruminal acetate:propionate molar ratios in feedlot steers fed steam-flaked corn-based finishing diets.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.10 no.6
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• pp.541-550
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• 1997

Anaerobic chytridiomycete fungi are now well recognized as one of the major components of rumen microflora. Since the discovery of anaerobic fungi, the knowledge upon their morphology and physiology has been accumulated. It is certain that they gave roles in ruminal fiber digestion, although their quantitative contribution to rumen digestion is still unclear. Their role in fiber digestion is complicated by the dietary factors and the interaction with other microorganisms. We aim at reviewing such information in this article. Considerable attention gas been paid to the polysaccharidase of these fungi. Analysis on the fungal genes encoding these enzymes has been performed in several laboratories. This article also covers the genetical analysis of fungal polysaccharidases.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.2 no.3
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• pp.353-354
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• 1989

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.2 no.3
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• pp.394-395
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• 1989

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.200-207
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• 2007

In vitro rumen incubation studies were conducted to determine effects of initial pH on bacterial attachment and fiber digestion. Ruminal fluid pH was adjusted to 5.7, 6.2 and 6.7, and three major fibrolytic bacteria attached to rice straw in the mixed culture were quantified with real-time PCR. The numbers of attached and unattached Fibrobacter succinogenes, Ruminococcus flavefaciens and Ruminocococcus albus were lower (p<0.05) at initial pH of 5.7 without significant difference between those at higher initial pH. Lowering incubation media pH to 5.7 also increased bacterial numbers detached from substrate regardless of bacterial species. Dry matter digestibility, gas accumulation and total VFA production were pH-dependent. Unlike bacterial attachment, maintaining an initial pH of 6.7 increased digestion over initial pH of 6.2. After 48 h in vitro rumen fermentation, average increases in DM digestion, gas accumulation, and total VFA production at initial pH of 6.2 and 6.7 were 2.8 and 4.4, 2.0 and 3.0, and 1.2 and 1.6 times those at initial pH of 5.7, respectively. The lag time to reach above 2% DM digestibility at low initial pH was taken more times (8 h) than at high and middle initial pH (4 h). Current data clearly indicate that ruminal pH is one of the important determinants of fiber digestion, which is modulated via the effect on bacterial attachment to fiber substrates.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.72-81
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• 2013

Four Luxi beef cattle ($400{\pm}10$ kg) fitted with ruminal, duodenal and ileal cannulas were used in a $4{\times}4$ Latin square to assess the effects of soybean small peptide (SSP) infusion on rumen fermentation, diet digestion and flow of nutrient in the gastrointestinal tract. The ruminal infusion of SSP was 0 (control), 100, 200 and 300 g/d. Ruminal SSP infusion linearly (p<0.01) and quadratically (p<0.01) increased microbial protein synthesis and rumen ammonia-N concentration. Concentrations of total volatile fatty acid were linearly increased (p = 0.029) by infusion SSP. Rumen samples were obtained for analysis of microbial ecology by real-time PCR. Populations of rumen Butyrivibrio fibrisolvens, Streptococcus bovis, Ciliate protozoa, Ruminococcus flavefaciens, and Prevotella ruminicola were expressed as a proportion of total Rumen bacterial 16S ribosomal deoxyribonucleic acid (rDNA). Butyrivibrio fibrisolvens populations which related to total bacterial 16S rDNA were increased (p<0.05), while Streptococcus bovis populations were linearly (p = 0.049) and quadratically (p = 0.020) decreased by infusion of SSP. Apparent rumen digestibility of DM and NDF were (Q, p<0.05; L, p<0.05) increased with infusion SSP. Total tract digestion of DM, OM and NDF were linearly (p<0.01) and quadratically (p<0.01) increased by infusing SSP. The flow of total amino acids (AA), essential amino acids (EAA) and individual amino acids were linearly (p<0.01) and quadratically (p<0.01) increased with infusion SSP. The digestibility of Lysine was quadratically (p = 0.033) increased and apparent degradability of Arginine was linearly (p = 0.032) and quadratically (p = 0.042) increased with infusion SSP. The results indicated that infusion SSP could improve nutrient digestion, ruminal fermentation and AA availability.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.176-181
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• 2000

In order to clarify the inhibitory effects of orchardgrass (Dactylis glomerata L.) lipids on ruminal fermentation and digestion, two experiments were carried out in vitro. Experiment 1 was carried out using residues of grass hay from which the lipid fraction was removed by ether extraction. To ground grass samples were added 0, 1.5, 3.0, 4.5 and 6.0% lipids and incubated anaerobically at $39^{\circ}C$ for 24 h, with the mixtures of artificial saliva and rumen fluid. Increasing grass lipid levels remarkably reduced DM and NDF disappearances. Volatile fatty acid concentration was significantly reduced at 3.0, 4.5 and 6.0% lipid levels. Microbial nitrogen proportion to total nitrogen tended to decrease by the addition of the lipids. These results indicated that grass lipids have a marked inhibitory effect on ruminal fermentation and digestion, especially when to the substrate was added 3% or more grass lipids as ether extracts. Experiment 2 was conducted to study the relationship between changes in the free fatty acids and changes in the fermentation traits. Samples were incubated for 3, 6, 9, 12, 15, 18, 21 and 24 h as a sole substrate. The polyunsaturated fatty acids steadily decreased during incubation, whereas the saturated fatty acid ($C_{18:0}$) increased. It was suggested that the hydrogenation was extended during the initial stage of incubation. The unsaturated fatty acids ($C_{18:2}$, $C_{18:3}$) produced at the initial stage of incubation were negatively correlated with the amount of microbial N and DM disappearance, indicating that polyunsaturated fatty acids had the possibility to show an inhibiting effect on ruminal fermentation and digestion.