• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.17 no.5
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• pp.621-628
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• 2004

Twenty male buffalo calves of 6-9 months of age (average body weight, 97 kg) were randomly allocated into two main groups of four (control) and sixteen (supplemented) calves. The supplemented group was further divided in to four equal sub-groups, with the two groups supplemented with a liquid preparation of urea-molasses, UML1, containing fish meal and UML2, containing formaldehyde treated deoiled mustard cake (FDMC) and the other two, with a semi-solid preparation, UMC1 with FDMC and deoiled rice bran (DORB) contributing similar level of CP as in UML2 and UMC2 with double the level of FDMC to that in UMC1. The control group was fed with DORB along with ad libitum wheat straw at 40:60 ratios. The rest of the groups were fed on the above diet supplemented with 500 g (as fed basis) of urea-molasses preparations. The experimental feeding was carried out for 24 weeks including a metabolism trial towards the end of experimental feeding. Daily feed intake and fortnightly change in live weight were also recorded during the study. Catalytic supplementation of 500 g urea-molasses induced 8-25% higher voluntary feed intake of wheat straw, resulting in 15-25% higher DM and OM intake. The digestibility of DM, OM, total carbohydrate, NDF, ADF, hemicellulose and cellulose in all the dietary groups were comparable. The CP digestibility of calves in supplemented groups were higher (p<0.05) than the control group. The balance of nutrients, viz. N, Ca and P, was also higher in the supplemented groups. Significantly higher intake of digestible CP coupled with other digestible nutrients attributed to higher TDN (1.67-1.78 vs. 1.37 kg) and ME (5.94-6.31 vs. 4.87 Mcal) intake in urea-molasses supplemented groups which resulted in higher live weight gain compared to that in control group (p<0.01). Between the supplements, UML2 and UMC2 faired non-significantly, indicating formalin treated mustard cake as a suitable replacement to fishmeal in the supplement. The overall ranking based on intake and digestibility of nutrients, live weight gain, economic evaluation and input-output relationship revealed that the rations with UML2 and UMC1 to be of greater value compared to other types. From the study it can be concluded that young ruminants can be reared successfully on a basal diet of deoiled rice bran and wheat straw supplemented with cheaper urea-molasses-mineral mix.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.491-496
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• 2004

Forty-five Najdi ram lambs were equally and randomly allotted to five dietary groups with three replications per diet to evaluate the effect of feeding olive cake in complete diet on nutrient digestibility, growth performance and carcass characteristics. The diets were: a whole-mixed control diet (C) containing 12% wheat straw and four diets; namely O, ON, OU and OUE, where crude olive cake, 3% NaOH-treated olive cake, 5% urea-treated olive cake (U) and ensiled U, respectively were incorporated to replace the wheat straw of C diet. The results showed that the digestibility of DM, CP, EE and NFE and TDN were higher (p<0.05) in OUE diet as compared to the control diet; there were no changes (p>0.05) in the corresponding values between O, ON and OU diets. The nutrient digestibilities, body weight gain, feed efficiency and Longissimus area were significantly (p<0.05) lower in ON diet as compared to other experimental diets. Average daily DM intake and weight gain were higher (p<0.05) in lambs fed O, OU and OUE diets than those fed C diet. The moisture and protein contents in the soft tissue from ON treatment were lower (p<0.05) than those tissues from C, O, OU and OUE treatments. In conclusion, these results indicated that crude olive cake is a better substitute of wheat straw when fed to growing lambs.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.19 no.5
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• pp.645-650
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• 2006

Thirty early lactating Nili-Ravi buffaloes, six animals in each group, were used in a completely randomized design to examine the feeding value of 4% urea treated wheat straw (UTWS) ensiled with 6% or without acidified molasses. Five experimental diets were formulated. The control ration was balanced to contain 30% DM from UTWS ensiled without acidified molasses. The other four diets were formulated to have 30, 40, 50 and 60% DM from UTWS ensiled with 6% acidified molasses, respectively. Dry matter and neutral detergent fiber (NDF) intakes were higher in buffaloes fed diets containing UTWS ensiled with acidified molasses compared with those fed a diet containing UTWS ensiled without acidified molasses. Intake of DM was not significantly different in buffaloes fed diets containing varying levels of UTWS ensiled with acidified molasses. A similar trend was observed for crude protein (CP) intake. Apparent DM and NDF digestibilities were significantly higher in buffaloes fed diets containing UTWS ensiled with acidified molasses compared with those fed UTWS ensiled without acidified molasses. However, differences in DM and NDF digestibilities were non-significant across buffaloes fed diets containing varying levels of UTWS ensiled with acidified molasses. Milk yield (4% fat corrected) was significantly higher in buffaloes fed diets containing UTWS ensiled with acidified molasses than those fed a diet containing UTWS ensiled without acidified molasses. Milk yield was similar in buffaloes fed varying level of UTWS ensiled with acidified molasses. Milk CP, true protein, solid-not-fat and total solids were similar in buffaloes fed UTWS ensiled with or without acidified molasses. The UTWS ensiled with 6% acidified molasses can be included at up to 60% DM of lactating buffalo rations without any ill effect on productivity.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.12 no.8
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• pp.1277-1284
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• 1999

Eight feeds and their residues left after washing with tap water (water residue) or incubation in the rumen (rumen residues) were treated with hydrochloric acid, neutral detergent solution without EDTA (NDS) or both, and the release or sorption of minerals (Ca, Mg, P, Na, K, Cu and Zn) assessed. Six of the feeds were from Sri Lanka (Panicum maximum ecotype Guinea A, Glyricidia maculate, Artocarpus heterophyllus (jak leaves), untreated and urea-treated rice straw, and rice bran) and two from the Netherlands (maize silage and wheat straw). The initial concentration of mineral elements, the concentration of neutral detergent fibre (NDF) and the type of feed significantly influenced (p<0.01). The proportion of the mineral elements released or sorbed. In general, feeds with high NDF content (straws and guinea grass) sorbed Ca from tap water, or released less in the rumen, and within these feeds the extent of sorption varied with source of fibre. Acid or NDS treatment removed little of the sorbed Ca, but they removed much of the Mg from both water and rumen residues. Fibres of wheat straw and jak leaves showed an affinity for Mg in the rumen. All feeds and their water and rumen residues sorbed P and Na from NDS, and the extent of sorption varied with the initial concentrations of these elements and with the type of fibre. Acid treatment removed part of the sorbed Na, but not the P. The solubility of K was not affected by the content of NDF, the type of fibre or the initial concentration of K. All feeds and their residues, except for the rumen residues of rice bran sorbed Cu from tap water and in the rumen. The recovery of Cu in rumen residues declined from 353% to 147% after NDS treatment, and with some feeds (glyricidia and jak leaves) the recovery was below 100%. Acid treatment removed part of the Zn sorbed by the water and rumen residues, but the capacity of residues to retain Zn varied with the type of feed.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.5 no.3
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• pp.487-494
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• 1992

This experiment was conducted to study the effect of addition of Lucerne juice (LJ) obtained by mechanical extraction of freshly harvested crop on the nutritive value of rice straw silage. Rice straw (RS) was ensiled with intact, NaOH or $NH_3$ treated LJ at 3:7 ratio on fresh weight basis (LJ RS, LJ NaOH RS and LJ $NH_3$ RS, respectively). Each alkali was mixed with fresh juice at a level of 4% of rice straw dry matter just before ensiling. Rice straw ensiled with water was prepared as the control (W RS). In the digestion trial, goats were allocated in a $4{\times}4$ Latin-square design and fed the diet containing three parts of RS silage and one part of wheat bran (DM basis). For the goats receiving the control silage, urea was supplemented at feeding time so as to adjust the nitrogen intake except for goats on LJ $NH_3$ RS silage. Crude protein content of RS silage was increased from 5.2 to 9.1% (DM basis) by the addition of intact LJ and to about 24% by $NH_3$ treated LJ. The control W RS silage contained only trace amount of lactic acid and was dominated by acetic and butyric acid. The addition of intact LJ reduced butyric acid content and $NH_3-N/TN$ of the silage whereas the addition of alkalized LJ increased those values and shifted to a butyrate type fermentation. Nutrient digestibilities and nitrogen balance of goats were almost the same when they were fed W RS and LJ RS silage indicating the addition of intact LJ did not improve the nutritive value. The addition of alkalized LJ significantly increased the fiber digestibilities of RS silage and $NH_3$ treatment was more effective than NaOH treatment. Postprandial ruminal $NH_3-N$ and blood urea nitrogen (BUN) concentrations were decreased by feeding LJ NaOH RS silage suggesting ruminal protein synthesis was enhanced along with the increase of energy supply for supply for rumen microbes by the alkali treatment. The advantageous fiber digestibilities of LJ $NH_3$ RS silage compared with those of LJ NaOH RS silage might be attributable to a sufficient nitrogen supply for microbial fiber digestion in the rumen.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.13 no.6
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• pp.761-773
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• 2000

Eighteen growing male Murrah buffalo (Bubalus bubalis) calves were divided into three groups consisting of six animals each and fed three urea ammoniated wheat straw (UAS) -based rations supplemented with concentrate mixtures (roughage: concentrate ratio 58:42) containing deoiled ground nut cake, GNC (8%), formaldehyde treated GNC (8%) or fish meal (8%) to undertake comparative evaluation of these rations in terms of their $CH_4$ production and growth (285 d duration) potential. A digestibility trial (10 d duration) was followed by a comparative calorimetric study in respiration chamber. Dry matter (DM) intake (84.3 to $89.3g/kg\;W^{0.75}d^{-1}$) did not differ between treatments. The digestibility coefficient of DM, organic matter (OM), crude protein (CP), neutral and acid detergent fiber did not differ significantly in different diets. Urinary energy loss as a percent of gross energy (GE) was not affected by diets. Average values of $CH_4$ production were 84.3, 77.6 and 99.1 g/d and $CH_4$ energy losses as percent of gross energy were 5.7, 5.2 and 6.1 percent on .GNC, formaldehyde treated GNC and fishmeal, respectively, and did not differ significantly. When expressed per unit of digestible OM intake, $CH_4$ production (g) was lower (p<0.05) on formaldehyde treated GNC (30.6) than on untreated GNC (30.6) and fish meal (31.9). Total ME intake and heat production were similar and hence the energy balances on different diets were similar. Nutritive value of rations in terms of digestible CP and ME were similar. Average daily gain calculated on the basis of regression of fortnights on cumulative liveweight gain in calves fed on concentrate containing unprotected GNC, protected GNC and fish meal were 437.1, 483.9 and 481.6 g, respectively. This indicated that the intake of energy was sufficient to meet the requirement of calves growing at 400 g per d. However, CP intake was around 150% of the stipulated standard (Kearl, 1982). Feed conversion ratios on unprotected GNC, protected GNC and fish meal were 11.60, 11.10 and 10.4 respectively. It was concluded that because significantly (p<0.05) low $CH_4$ is produced on protected GNC (8%), it is very good and sustainable protein source in comparison to poor quality fish meal and untreated GNC to be used in concentrate mixture for supplementing UAS-based diets.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.16 no.6
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• pp.852-862
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• 2003

An experiment was conducted to study the effect of ionophore enriched cold processed mineral block supplemented with urea molasses on microbial growth and rumen fermentation. Twelve adult male crossbred cattle were divided into four groups on body weight basis. Animals were given wheat straw as a basal diet. The animals of group I and II were supplemented with concentrate mixture and animals of group III and IV were supplemented with cold processed urea molasses mineral block (UMMB). Thirty mg monensin/day/animal were supplemented to the animals of group II and 35 ppm monensin were incorporated in the UMMB supplemented to the animals of group IV. Dry matter (DM) intake did not differ significantly among groups. Mean rumen pH was higher in UMMB fed animals. Total volatile fatty acids (TVFA) concentration (mmole/L strained rumen liquor (SRL) in group III (113.19) was significantly (p<0.05) higher than those of group I (105.83) and II (108.74) but similar to group IV (109.34). TVFA production (mole/day) was similar in all the groups. The molar proportion of acetate was significantly (p<0.01) higher in the group I (59.56) than those of group II (51.73) and IV (55.91) but similar to group III (57.12). The molar proportion of propionate was significantly (p<0.01) higher in the monensin treated groups i.e. group II (38.38) and IV (36.26) than those of group I (27.78) and III (33.06). Butyrate molar percent was significantly (p<0.01) higher in group I (12.65) than those of group II (10.19), group III (9.83) and IV (7.84). The reduction of acetate and butyrate was due to UMMB and monensin resulted in lower A:P ratio. Average bacterial pool and bacterial production rate did not differ significantly among groups. Total N concentration (mg/100 ml SRL) was significantly (p<0.01) higher in the group I (55.30) and III (57.70) as compared to the group II (47.97) and IV (47.59). Ammonia-N concentration (mg/100 ml SRL) of group III (34.99) was significantly (p<0.01) higher than that of the group I (25.76) which was again significantly (p<0.01) higher than that of the group II (20.79) and IV (19.83) indicating slower release of ammonia due to monensin in diet. Total bacterial, cellulolytic, proteolytic bacterial and fungal count at 4 h post feeding did not differ significantly (p<0.05) among treatment groups. However, methanogenic bacterial count was significantly (p<0.01) higher in the group I (11.80) compared to the group II (8.43) which was significantly (p<0.01) higher than that of the group III (4.70) and IV (2.90). Average protozoal population was affected by both treatments. Thus feeding of UMMB and monensin in diet affected the rumen fermentation pattern towards propionate production, slower release of ammonia and reduction in methanogenic bacteria in the rumen.