• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.7 no.3
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• pp.363-372
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• 1994

In two separate experiments with crossbred bulls (Sahiwal $\times$ indigenous) the effect of access to a urea-molasses lickblock (MOL-U-MIN) on straw diets was studied. The animals were given either untreated (US) or urea treated (TS) rice straw with or without lickblock supplementation. In experiment 1, individual dry matter intake (DMI) and dry matter digestibility (DMD) were measured, while in experiment 2 in addition to the above rumen (pH, ammonia, minerals) and blood (protein, minerals and haemotological) parameters were also measured. With both experiments urea treatment did not effect DMI, but lickblock supplementation significantly (p < 0.05) increased DMI. The DMD values obtained in both experiments for TS were significantly (p < 0.05) higher than for US, but lickblock supplementation did not effect the DMD of either US or TS fed animals. Both urea treatment (6.97 vs 6.93) and lickblock supplementation (6.98 vs 6.92) significantly (p < 0.001) reduced the rumen pH. Urea treatment and lickblock supplementation increased the rumcn $NH_3-N$ concentration (mg/100 ml) from 8.7 to 11.9 and 9.2 to 11.4, respectively. Both US and TS diets fed with or without lickblock increased the molar ratio of Na : K in saliva. Phosphorus content in blood plasma was significantly (p < 0.01) increased due to lickblock supplementation, whereas the Fc content in blood was significantly increased (p < 0.01) by urea treatment. Haemoglobin content in blood ranged from 11.3 to 11.7 g/dl, and was not influenced by urea treatment or lickblock supplementation. Lickblock significantly reduced the number of red blood cells, but increased the mean corpuscular volume. It is concluded that feeding urea treated straw with proper mineral supplementation could be a more economical alternative to lickblock supplementation.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.2 no.4
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• pp.583-590
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• 1989

Increasing levels of ammonia-N in the rumen fluid used for in vitro incubation were achieved by supplementation of the ration of the donor cows with urea and by addition of urea either with or without glucose to the rumen fluid after collection. The ration of the donor animals consisted of wheat straw (80%) and maize silage (20%). During the second half of the experiment the basal ration was supplemented with a mineral mixture. Wheat straw, Guinea grass and two rice straw varieties were incubated with the various kinds of rumen fluid. Parameters studied were: solubility, apparent organic matter disappearance after 48 hours of incubation ($OMD_{48}$), rate of organic matter degradation from 0 to 24 hours of incubation ($k_1$) and from 24 to 95 hours ($k_2$). The concentration of ammonia-N in the rumen fluid at which 95% of the maximal $OMD_{48}$ and k1 were reached (88.2 and 100.0 mg/l) were independent of the feed. With regard to the $k_2$ the required ammonia-N concentration to reach 95% of the maximal $k_2$ differed per feed. Mineral supplementation increased the OMD48 and $k_1$, but not the solubility and $k_2$. Glucose addition in combination with urea had no beneficial effect compared to urea supplementation alone.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.29 no.8
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• pp.1136-1144
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• 2016

Leucaena silage was supplemented with different levels of molasses and urea to study its nutritive value and in vitro rumen fermentation efficiency. The ensiling study was randomly assigned according to a $3{\times}3$ factorial arrangement in which the first factor was molasses (M) supplement at 0%, 1%, and 2% of crop dry matter (DM) and the second was urea (U) supplement as 0%, 0.5%, and 1% of the crop DM, respectively. After 28 days of ensiling, the silage samples were collected and analyzed for chemical composition. All the nine Leucaena silages were kept for study of rumen fermentation efficiency using in vitro gas production techniques. The present result shows that supplementation of U or M did not affect DM, organic matter, neutral detergent fiber, and acid detergent fiber content in the silage. However, increasing level of U supplementation increased crude protein content while M level did not show any effect. Moreover, the combination of U and M supplement decreased the content of mimosine concentration especially with M2U1 (molasses 2% and urea 1%) silage. The result of the in vitro study shows that gas production kinetics, cumulation gas at 96 h and in vitro true digestibility increased with the increasing level of U and M supplementation especially in the combination treatments. Supplementation of M and U resulted in increasing propionic acid and total volatile fatty acid whereas, acetic acid, butyric acid concentrations and methane production were not changed. In addition, increasing U level supplementation increased $NH_3$-N concentration. Result from real-time polymerase chain reaction revealed a significant effect on total bacteria, whereas F. succinogenes and R. flavefaciens population while R. albus was not affected by the M and U supplementation. Based on this study, it could be concluded that M and urea U supplementation could improve the nutritive value of Leucaena silage and enhance in vitro rumen fermentation efficiency. This study also suggested that the combination use of M and U supplementation level was at 2% and 1%, respectively.

• 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.12 no.5
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• pp.735-741
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• 1999

The effects of supplementation with nitrogen molasses mineral blocks and molasses urea mix during and immediately prior to the dry season on the production of dairy cows were studied on-station and on-farm near Morogoro, Tanzania. Supplementation of blocks to on-station cows also receiving ad libitum grass hay and 6 kg/d of maize bran increased milk production from 6.7 L/d to 11.2 L/d (p<0.05), increased dry matter intake from 10.1 kg/d to 12.0 kg/d (p<0.05), but did not significantly affect milk composition, intake of hay, and live weight changes. This increase in milk yield is mainly explained by increased intakes of energy and nitrogen. Supplementation with the molasses urea mix increased daily milk yield from 6.7 L/d to 8.8 L/d (p<0.05), but did not significantly affect the other measured production parameters. The on-farm supplementation of the blocks increased daily milk yield by 1.5 L/d in the dry season (p<0.05). This supplementation did not increase milk yields prior to the dry season, since quality forage was still available. Taking the production costs into account, supplementation with the blocks and supplementation with mix were cost effective if milk yields increased by 0.7 L/d. Hence supplementation with blocks and supplementation with mix were effective on-station, and supplementation with blocks was cost effective on-farm during the dry season.

• 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.

• Journal of the East Asian Society of Dietary Life
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• v.9 no.4
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• pp.427-434
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• 1999

This study was conducted to investigate the effects of vitamin I supplementation on renal function in high fat diet and adriamycin (ADR) induced experimental nephrotic syndrome in model rats. The effects of vitamin E supplementation on renal function in high fat diet and ADR treated rats were as follows. Kidney weight was decreased by vitamin E supplementation. Serum total protein was increased by the excess supplementation. Blood urea nitrogen(BUN) was decreased by the high supplementation. However, serum albumin and creatinine showed no significant differences between groups. Urinary volume tended to increase by vitamin I supplementation. Urinary urea-N tended by vitamin I supplementation. Particularly glomerular filtration rate(GFR) was significantly decreased by vitamin E supplementation. These results suggested that vitamin E supplementation could alleviate the adverse effects caused in renal function by highfatdiet and ADR treatments.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.19 no.9
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• pp.1305-1313
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• 2006

Five male dairy goats (Saanen), 4.6 month old with a body weight of 21.4 ($SD{\pm}1.6$) kg, were used to examine 5 dietary urea treatments in a $5{\times}5$ Latin Square experimental design. The five levels of urea were 10, 20, 30, 40 and 50 g urea/kg DM of steam-treated oil palm fronds (OPF) and dry matter intake tended (p>0.05) to increase with increasing urea supplementation up to 30 g/kg OPF (77.7 g/kg $BW^{0.75}$), but decreased (p<0.05) with 40 and 50 g urea/kg OPF (67.4 and 63.7 g/kg BW0.75, respectively) supplementation. Similarly, dry matter, organic matter, crude protein, neutral detergent fiber and hemicellulose digestibilities increased (p<0.05) with the addition of urea to 30 g/kg OPF but thereafter decreased (p<0.05) with 40 and 50 g/kg OPF. Ruminal pH, ruminal $NH_3$-N concentration and plasma urea concentration increased linearly (p<0.01) and quadratically (p<0.01) as a consequence of addition of urea to the diet. Excretion of total purine derivatives (PD) by goats fed 30 g of urea/kg OPF was highest (p<0.05) followed by goats fed 20, 40, 10 and 50 g of urea/kg OPF. Microbial N (g N/day) and efficiency of microbial N supply expressed as g N/kg organic matter apparently digested in the rumen were higher (p<0.05) in goats fed 30 g of urea/kg OPF (5.5 g N/day and 22.0 g N/kg DOMR, respectively) than in goats on 10 and 50 g of urea/kg OPF treatments. However, the former did not differ from goats fed 20 g of urea/kg OPF (3.9 g N/day and 16.6 g N/kg DMOR, respectively). Ruminal VFA concentration, protein/energy ratio, N absorption and N retention increased (p<0.05) with the addition of urea to the diet up to 30 g/kg OPF but decreased (p<0.05) with 40 and 50 g/kg OPF. This implies that the optimal level of urea supplementation in an OPF based diet was about 30 g urea/kg OPF.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.1 no.4
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• pp.213-218
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• 1988

Forty eight growing bulls of two breed types(red Sahiwal and white Kilari), fed rice straw, were allocated to nine treatment groups: 1. Control straw (CS) 2. Urea upgraded straw (UUS) 3. UUS + 0.25 kg coconut cake (CC) 4. UUS + 0.75 kg CC 5. UUS + 0.25 kg rice bran (RB) 6. UUS + 1.00 kg RB 7. UUS + 0.25 kg RB + 0.25 kg CC 8. UUS + 1.00 kg RB + 0.25 kg CC 9. CS + 1.00 kg RB + 0.25 kg CC Liveweight gain was measured weekly during 15 weeks and tested in three analyses of variance. The results are: Urea upgraded straw produced a liveweight gain $180g.d^{-1}$ higher (P <0.01) than control straw. The groups supplemented with 0.25 kg coconut cake and 1.00 kg rice bran showed an increase of $100g.d^{-1}$ (p < 0.05) over the unsupplemented groups. No interaction between straw upgrading and supplementation was present (P > 0.10). Both rice bran and coconut press cake, supplemented to upgraded straw at a level of 0.25 kg, did not increase liveweight gain (P>0.05), but 1.0 kg rice bran increased gain by $90g.d^{-1}$ (P<0.05). A supplement of 0.75 kg coconut press cake to upgraded straw increased liveweight gain by $160g.d^{-1}$ compared with 0.25 kg or 0.00 kg coconut cake supplement (P<0.05). There were no significant differences between breed types (P>0.10) or interactions between breed and the other two main treatments (upgrading and supplementation). It was concluded. that both urea upgrading and supplementation of rice straw increase animal performance. The effect of urea upgrading was the same for both supplemented and unsupplemented animals. There was no indication of a nonlinear effect of supplements on growth.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.1 no.4
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• pp.209-212
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• 1988

Thirty-six heifers of three different breeds were fed rice straw, either upgraded with 4% urea, or supplemented with 2% urea, sprayed on the straw just prior to feeding. The effects on liveweight gain and dry matter intake were measured for pure Sahiwal heifers, Sahiwal ${\times}$ local crosses and Jersey ${\times}$ local crosses. Urea upgraded straw gave better growth than urea supplemented straw, average 217 g/day/ animal versus 71 g/day/animal. This was associated with a higher intake of upgraded straw, compared to supplementation straw (2.4 versus 1.8 kg/100 kg BW). No overall breed effect on growth was found (P>0.05).