• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.2 no.2
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• pp.85-90
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• 1989

Forty bull calves of Sahiwal crosses were fed either urea treated or untreated rice straw with 4 levels of Gliricidia (0, 1, 2, and 4 kg fresh material). Dry matter intake (DMI) of straw and Gliricidia was measured during 2 periods. Straw intakes in period 1 and 2 were significantly different (P<0.001). Supplementation of Gliricidia depressed the DMI of straw during the second period (P<0.01), but not in the first period. Urea-ammonia treatment increased straw intake and total intake in both periods, but the increase in dry matter digestibility (DMD) of the ration was not significant (P>0.05). Liveweight gain (LWG) was increased significantly, both by urea ammonia treatment (P<0.01) and by supplementation with Gliricidia (P<0.001). Animals on treated straw gained on an average $137\;g{\cdot}d^{-1}$ more than those on untreated straw.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.16 no.3
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• pp.368-373
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• 2003

This experiment was conducted to examine the effects on the composition and rumen degradation in sacco of rice straw treated with animal urine (1 l of 2.9 g N/kg DM straw) and urea plus calcium hydroxide (2% urea plus 0.5% $Ca(OH)_2$/kg DM straw) as a cheap and relatively safe alternative for ammonia (3% ammonia solution/kg DM straw). Mold occurred in urine treated straw, but other treatments were apparently mold-free. All treatments significantly (p<0.05) increased CP content in the straw compared with untreated one. Ammonia-treated straw contained CP at about twice that in urine or urea-calcium hydroxide treated straw. NDF and hemicellulose contents decreased significantly (p<0.05) in all treatments, while ADF and cellulose showed no differences compared with untreated straw. The degradable fraction of DM, CP, NDF, hemicellulose and cellulose was significantly (p<0.05) increased for ammonia and urea-calcium hydroxide treatments than for urine treated or untreated straw except for CP of urine treated straw. Chemical treatment of rice straw increased the readily degradable fraction of CP, while it decreased the slowly degradable fraction for urine or urea-calcium hydroxide treated rice straw. The degradation rate of hemicellulose was significantly (p<0.05) increased for ammonia and urea-calcium hydroxide treatments compared to urine treated or untreated straw. However, no effect on cellulose degradation rate was found by any of the treatments. There was no improvement in the degradation kinetics caused by the urine treatment despite the improvement of the chemical composition. Although the improvement in rumen degradability was less in the urea-calcium hydroxide treatment than in the ammonia treatment, its use may be more desirable because it is less expensive to obtain, less hazardous nature, and readily available. For further improvement it is necessary to investigate the supplementation of slowly degradable nitrogen to ureacalcium hydroxide treated rice straw diet.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.1 no.4
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• pp.201-208
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• 1988

Fifty-six lactating Surti buffaloes, fed rice straw, were allocated to seven treatment groups as follows: 1. Straw supplemented with 2% urea (SS) + 1.5kg rice bran (RB) 2. Straw treated with 4% urea in an open stack (TS open) 3. TS open + 1.5 kg RB 4. TS open + 3.0 kg RB 5. TS open + 1.5 kg RB + 3.0 kg Gliricidia (Gl) 6. Straw treated with 4% urea in a closed pit (TS closed) 7. TS closed + 1.5 kg RB + 3.0 kg Gl Milk production, butterfat percentage and liveweight gain of cows and calves were measured and tested with analysis of variance. The results are: - The animals on urea treated straw (group 2) had a higher milk production (p<0.05), higher butterfat production (p<0.05) and less liveweight gain loss (p<0.05) than the animals on urea supplemented straw (group 1). Butterfat percentage also increased by treatment, although not significantly (p>0.05). - Increasing levels of rice bran (groups 3 and 4 compared to 2) increased total milk production and milked quantity of butterfat, while butterfat percentage decreased (p < 0.05). - Milk production increased (p <0.05) with extra rice bran added (group 4 compared to 3), but was not affected (p > 0.05) by Gliricidia addition (group 5 compared to 3). Butterfat percentage dropped with extra rice bran supplement (p <0.05). The lack of response to Gliricidia indicated that protein is not limiting in treated straw, or that Gliricidia protein is partly insoluble. - System of treatment had no effect on milk production (p >0.05), while supplementation with 1.5 kg RB and 3.0 kg Gliricidia increased production and caused a lower butterfat percentage (p <0.05) (groups 2, 5, 6 and 7 compared). A significant (p <0.05) interaction treatment system x supplementation was present. It was concluded, that both treatment and supplementation did affect milk production as well as milk composition. Gliricidia addition gave less effect than rice bran, indicating different requirements for starchy substances in the feed. Treatment of straw does not negatively affect butterfat production, it can increase butterfat production and even butterfat percentage.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.8 no.6
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• pp.563-566
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• 1995

To improve the nutritive value of wheat straw it as treated with 0, 3, 4 and 5 percent levels of urea, 0 and 4 percent level of alkali at 40, 50 and 60 percent moisture levels and stored at room temperature. Total nitrogen contents of the straw increased significantly, from 0.77 percent with no urea treatment to 0.87, 1.16 and 1.19 percent with 3, 4 and 5 percent urea levels, respectively. Percent retention of nitrogen was 63.73 percent. Alkali treatment at 4 percent level, lowered significantly the crude fibre contents of the straw from 41.86 percent in control to 40.21 percent in the treated straw. Moisture level of 40 percent significantly lowered (p < 0.05) the crude fibre contents. Total ash content of straw increased significantly by urea and alkali treatment. Alkali treatment improved significantly the sodium contents also. The results of the study indicated that most beneficial results were obtained with 4 percent urea, 4 percent alkali at 50 percent moisture level.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.27-31
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• 2005

Wheat straw was treated with microwave for 4 min and 8 min at a power of 750 W and frequency of 2,450 MHz. Chemical compositions of untreated, 4 min treated and 8 min treated straws were analyzed and in sacco degradabilities of all these straws in yak rumens were measured. Microwave treatment didn't significantly (p>0.05) affect the chemical composition of the straw. In sacco dry matter (DM) degradability of the straw after 18 h incubation in rumen was significantly (p<0.01) improved by microwave treatment. In sacco crude protein (CP) degradability of the straw was not (p>0.05) affected by microwave treatment. In sacco organic matter (OM) degradability of the straw was increased (p<0.01) by around 20% for both the 4 min and 8 min microwave treatment, that of acid detergent fibre (ADF) was increased (p<0.01) by 61.6% and 62.8%, and that of ash free ADF was enhanced by 72.1% and 69.6% for the 4 min and 8 min microwave treatment respectively. No significant difference was observed between the 4 min and 8 min microwave treatment on the degradability of DM, OM, CP, ADF and ash-free ADF of the straw.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.3 no.1
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• pp.1-6
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• 1990

The objective of this experiment was to compare the effect of pH-regulated alkaline hydrogen peroxide (AHP) treatment of rice straw with those of sodium hydroxide (NaOH) and anhydrous ammonia ($NH_3$) treatments on in sacco digestivility. Three non-lactating ruminally cannulated Holstein cows were fed a diet containing 90% forage and 10% concentrate on a dry matter (DM) basis. The AHP treatment significantly (p<0.05) reduced acid detergent lignin content of the straw, resulting in significant (p<0.05) increase of neutral detergent fiber (NDF), acid detergent fiber (ADF) and cellulose concentrations. Disappearance rates of DM and NDF of the straw significantly (p<0.05) increased at the incubation time of 24 h. On the other hand, those of ADF and cellulose were significantly (p<0.05) higher at the incubation time of 12 h than those of the others. The effective degradability of DM(EDDM), NDF(EDNDF), ADF(EDADF) and cellulose (EDCE) were determined using in sacco nylon bag technique on the basis of 0.05/h solid outflow rate. The greater differences (p<0.05) of EDDM, EDNDF, EDADF and EDCE were found between AHP treated straw and the others. In general, AHP treatment of the straw recorded higher digestion coefficients than untreated straw as well as NaOH and $NH_3$ treated straws. The results of this study demonstrate that AHP treatment can be used as a effective method for improving the nutritive value of rice straw for ruminants.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.26 no.12
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• pp.1689-1697
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• 2013

This study was designed to determine the effect of physical form and urea treatment of rice straw on rumen fermentation, microbial protein synthesis and nutrient digestibility. Four rumen-fistulated dairy steers were randomly assigned according to a 2 (2 factorial arrangement in a 4 (4 Latin square design to receive four dietary treatments. Factor A was roughage source: untreated rice straw (RS) and urea-treated (3%) rice straw (UTRS), and factor B was type of physical form of rice straw: long form rice straw (LFR) and chopped (4 cm) rice straw (CHR). The steers were offered the concentrate at 0.5% body weight (BW) /d and rice straw was fed ad libitum. DM intake and nutrient digestibility were increased (p<0.05) by urea treatment. Ruminal pH were decreased (p<0.05) in UTRS fed group, while ruminal ammonia nitrogen ($NH_3$-N) and blood urea nitrogen (BUN) were increased (p<0.01) by urea treatment. Total volatile fatty acid (VFA) concentrations increased (p<0.01) when steers were fed UTRS. Furthermore, VFA concentrations were not altered by treatments (p>0.05), except propionic acid (C3) was increased (p<0.05) in UTRS fed group. Nitrogen (N) balance was affected by urea treatment (p<0.05). Microbial protein synthesis (MCP) synthesis were greater by UTRS and CHR group (p<0.05). The efficiency of microbial N synthesis was greater for UTRS than for RS (p<0.05). From these results, it can be concluded that using the long form combined with urea treatment of rice straw improved feed intake, digestibility, rumen fermentation and efficiency of microbial N synthesis in crossbred dairy steers.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.9 no.3
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• pp.281-285
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• 1996

On farm demonstration of urea treatment (5 kg urea dissolved in 60 litre water/100kg) of straw was performed at 6 different sites and treated straw was stored by three different methods i.e., plastic covered, mud plastered and existing farmers technique (mud plastered on the top and open from sides) to determine the best storage method in field. Untreated and treated samples were taken after 5 week storage period and subjected to crude protein, crude fibre and cell wall constituents analysis. In situ dry matter digestibility of straw was measured by nylon bag technique in buffalo bulls. Crude protein content increased by 100 to 153 percent in treated straw stored by different methods. Maximum increase in crude protein of treated straw was noticed in mud plastered method. Urea treatment of straw resulted in significant decrease in crude fibre contents in all the storage methods. Treatment of straw enhanced the in situ digestibility by 25-49 percent and maximum digestibility (53%) was found in mud plastered storage method. It was concluded that the mud plastered storage method for urea treated straw was found to be the best at farm level.

• Journal of Korea Technical Association of The Pulp and Paper Industry
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• v.39 no.2 s.120
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• pp.9-16
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• 2007

Biological treatment using the activated sludge method and biofilm process has been developed for paper wastewater treatment. It is known that a water treatment using biofilm process has a high efficiency be-cause a great deal of microorganism could adhere to media. It is also known that various plastics such as polyurethane and polyethylene have been used as the media. In this study polyethylene was used as a media and rice straw an additive agent to improve porous and hydrophilic properties of the media for waste water treatment. Porosity and hydrophilic characteristics of polyethylene was increased as rice straw was added to polyethylene. Paper wastewater was then treated with newly developed environment materials. Rice straw showed excellent results in waste water treatment in various media. This environmentally friendly material prepared by polyethylene and rice straw could show similar results to those of a commercial porous polyurethane foam in wastewater treatment.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.12 no.7
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• pp.1049-1053
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• 1999

Chopped wheat straw (0.5-1.5 cm) was subjected to different treatment combinations in a $5{\times}4$ factorial arrangement involving the five levels of urea (0, 2, 3, 4 and 5%, w/w) and four levels of lime (0, 2, 4 and 6%, w/w) at 50% moisture and kept for 3 wk reaction period at about $35{^{\circ}C}$ in laboratory. Treated wheat straw samples were analyzed to study the associative effect of urea and lime on chemical composition, in sacco and in vitro digestibilities. Results showed that cell wall constituents (CWC) solubilized significantly (p<0.01) due to urea and lime treatment on one hand and substantially increase the crude protein (CP) on the other in wheat straw. The main effect on synergism of both chemicals was noticed on organic matter (OM), neutral detergent fibre (NDF), hemicellulose (HC), acid detergent lignin (ADL) and silica by solubilising their contents as a result of considerable increase in cell contents in treated wheat straw. The respective decreases were 5.45, 13.0, 37.23, 44.95 and 26.16% in different treatment combinations. The most interesting feature of the treatment was evident by increase in ash content on each level of lime application. CP content increase up to 12.78% due to urea treatment in comparison with untreated wheat straw (2.56%). The effect of solubilization of structural carbohydrates and increased crude protein due to synergistic effect of urea and lime were clearly seen on improved digestibility of OM and DM. The increase in ISOMD, ISDMD, and IVDMD were 21.67, 21.67, 16.24, and 17.5 units. The increase in digestibility were relative to additions of both chemicals and digestibility values increased with increasing levels of urea plus lime concentration in different treatment combination. The maximum improvement was noticed at 4% urea and 4% lime levels at 50% moisture for 3 wk reaction period in treated wheat straw.