• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.5 no.4
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• pp.687-693
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• 1992

The study was conducted to investigate the effect of soybean meal (SBM) supplementation on the voluntary intake of rice straw and ruminal fermentation characteristics. Balance trials were conducted with three Hapanese Corriedale wethers fed a rice straw alone (control), rice straw supplemented with 75 and 150 g of SBM/day in a $3{\times}3$ latin square design. Voluntary intake of rice straw in sheep fed both levels of SBM supplemented diets was significantly higher (p<0.05) than that in sheep fed control diet. Crude protein digestibility was significantly increased (p<0.05), but organic matter, crude fibre, neutral detergent fibre and acid detergent fibre digestibilities were not affected by SBM supplementation. Nitrogen balance was positive in sheep on both levels of SBM supplemented diets, but negative in animals on the control diet. Rumen ammonia and blood urea-nitrogen concentrations increased (p<0.05) as increasing level of SBM. Total volatile fatty acids, acetate, propionate, butyrate and valerate concentrations in rumen fluid were also significantly increased (p<0.01), but ruminal pH was decreased (p<0.05) by SBM supplementation.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.18 no.6
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• pp.795-801
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• 2005

Eighteen Suffolk wether lambs (BW = 24 kg) were chronically exposed to temperatures of cold (2$^{\circ}C$) or warm (22$^{\circ}C$). The experimental design consisted of a 2${\times}$3 factorial with a single crossover of environment treatment. The sheep were closely shorn and were housed in individual metabolic crates in controlled environment rooms. Sheep consumed pelleted diets ad libitum, which consisted of mainly barley grain and brome grass, and diets contained 7, 11 or 14% crude protein (CP). Animals were catheterized via one jugular vein with a PVC catheter and received a single injection of 60-65 Ci of $^{14}$C]urea. Plasma urea-N (PUN), urinary urea (UU), and carbon specific radioactivity were measured. Urea metabolism was not affected by environment. Percent urea recycling and urea space clearance were highest (p<0.05) on the low nitrogen diet. Urea pool was increased (p<0.10) for the 14% CP diet. Both UU and PUN concentration were positively related (p<0.01) with diet CP content. Therefore, dietary CP content significantly influenced urea metabolism, however, cold exposure did not alter those parameters.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.13 no.4
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• pp.490-496
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• 2000

In vivo digestibility, nitrogen retention and microbial protein yield from diets of 100% ammonia treated rice straw (ARS) ($D_1$); 65% untreated rice straw (URS)+30% rice bran (RB)+5% SBM ($D_2$) and 85% ARS+15% RB ($D_3$) were determined using three Japanese Corriedale wethers in a $3{\times}3$ Latin Square Design. Results showed that DM consumption and organic matter digestibility were highest in $D_3$; but did not promote high protein digestibility, which RB+SBM had effected in URS based-diet. Dry matter intake and OM digestibility were the same for $D_1$ and $D_3$. Solubility of fiber bonds was increased by ammoniation, resulting in higher NDF digestibility. Nitrogen retention and microbial protein yield of rice bran supplemented groups was higher than ARS, but supplementation did not significantly increase efficiency of microbial protein synthesis from ARS which did occur when RB+SBM was added to untreated straw. The quality of ammoniated rice straw could be improved through RB supplementation because of its positive effects on DM digestibility, nitrogen retention and microbial protein yield. However, the addition of RB+SBM to URS resulted to more efficient N utilization.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.14 no.11
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• pp.1580-1584
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• 2001

A study was conducted to estimate the nutritive value of some selected acacia forages using palatability index, in sacco degradability and in vitro gas production characteristics. Ten wethers (mean wt. $18{\pm}3.5kg$) were offered Acacia tortilis, Acacia nilotica, Acacia mellifera, Acacia brevispica, Acacia Senegal and Leucaena leucocephala (control) using a cafeteria system to determine the species preference by the animals. The acacia species were rich in nitrogen and showed variable palatability pattern. Significant (p<0.05) differences in relative palatability index (RPI) were detected among the species with the following ranking: brevispica > leucaena > mellifera > tortilis > Senegal > nilotica. Acacia nilotica appeared to be of low relative palatability with RPI of 24% and this was attributed to relatively high phenolic concentrations. The DM potential degradability (B) and rate of degradation (c) of the species were significantly (p<0.05) different, ranging from 40.1 to 59.1% and 0.0285 to 0.0794/h respectively. Acacia species had moderate levels of rumen undegradable protein, much higher than that in leucaena. In vitro gas production results indicated the effect of polyphenolic compounds on the fermentation rate, with lower gas production recorded from A. nilotica and tortilis. Based on RPI, A. brevispica and mellifera were superior to the rest and comparable to L. leucocephala. Long-term feeding trials are required with the superior species when used as protein supplements to poor quality diets.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.27 no.2
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• pp.179-186
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• 2014

This study aimed to investigate the diversity of the Butyrivibrio group bacteria in goat rumen and its response to garlic oil (GO) supplementation as revealed by molecular analysis of cloned 16S rRNA genes. Six wethers fitted with ruminal fistulas were assigned to two groups for a cross-over design with 28-d experimental period and 14-d interval. Goats were fed a basal diet without (control) or with GO ruminal infusion (0.8 g/d). Ruminal contents were used for DNA extraction collected before morning feeding on d 28. A total bacterial clone library was firstly constructed by nearly full-length 16S rRNA gene cloned sequences using universal primers. The resulting plasmids selected by Butyrivibrio-specific primers were used to construct a Butyrivibrio group-specific bacterial clone library. Butyrivibrio group represented 12.98% and 10.95% of total bacteria in control and GO group, respectively. In libraries, clones were classified to the genus Pseudobutyrivibrio, Butyrivibrio and others within the family Lachnospiraceae. Additionally, some specific clones were observed in GO group, being classified to the genus Ruminococcus and others within the family Ruminococcaceae. Based on the criterion that the similarity was 97% or greater with database sequences, there were 29.73% and 18.42% of clones identified as known isolates (i.e. B. proteoclasticus and Ps. ruminis) in control and GO groups, respectively. Further clones identified as B. fibrisolvens (5.41%) and R. flavefaciens (7.89%) were specifically found in control and GO groups, respectively. The majority of clones resembled Ps. ruminis (98% to 99% similarity), except for Lachnospiraceae bacteria (87% to 92% similarity) in the two libraries. The two clone libraries also appeared different in Shannon diversity index (control 2.47 and GO group 2.91). Our results indicated that the Butyrivibrio group bacteria had a complex community with considerable unknown species in the goat rumen.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.8 no.3
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• pp.267-273
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• 1995

The differences in rumen particle pool size, passage rate and rumen degradability in sheep receiving three varieties of orchardgrass hay harvested at pre-heading (H1), early-bloom (H2) and late-bloom (H3) were investigated using four ruminal-cannulated wethers (68 kg) fed 1,300 g of the hay once a day. Representative samples of whole rumen contents were collected at different times after feeding and the quantities of rumen particle pools [large particle pool (LPP), retained on a $1,180{\mu}m$ sieve; small particle pool (SPP), retained on a 47 but passed a $1,180{\mu}m$ sieve; and soluble fraction (SOL), passed a $47{\mu}m$ sieve (SOL)] were determined by a wet-sieving technique. The fullowing results were obtained: 1) The dry weight of whole rumen contents were significantly lower (p < 0.05) for HI than for H2 or H3. The reduction rate of whole rumen contents was slightly but significantly greater for HI that, the other hay varieties. 2) The LPP disappearance rates were 26.2, 25.3 and 21.7 g DM/h for H1, H2 and H3, respectively, and no statistical differences were found among the hay varieties. Appreciable changes were not observed with SPP and SOL throughout measurements for all hay varieties; however the SPP was markedly greater (p <0.05) for H2 and ill than for HI, while SOL did not differ among hay varieties. 3) The SPP passage rate (g DM/h) and effective rumen degradability (%) for HI, H2 and ill were, respectively, 9.7, 56.6; 16.9, 42.3; and 18.0, 28.9. The ruminal tum-over rate for SPP appeared to be higher for HI than for the other hay varieties.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.24 no.6
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• pp.774-780
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• 2011

Inadequate supply of glucose or glucogenic substrates to the body tissues can affect metabolism of absorbed acetogenic metabolites from the gut and therefore, influence feed intake in ruminants. This study investigated the effect of energy supplementation on rumen kinetics in the gut, and the acetate clearance rate in the body tissues of sheep fed low quality basal roughage. A basal diet consisting of urea-treated mixture of wheaten chaff and barley straw (3:1 DM) containing 22.2 g N/kg DM was used. Four Merino cross wethers weighing $45{\pm}4.38\;kg$ fitted with permanent rumen and abomasal cannulae were allocated to four treatments in a $4{\times}4$ LSD. The treatments were basal diet ($E_0$), or basal diet supplemented with sucrose (112.5 g/d) administered intraruminally ($E_R$), abomasally ($E_A$), or via both routes (50:50) ($E_{RA}$). There was no difference (p>0.05) in the rumen liquid kinetics parameters between the four dietary treatments. However, there was a trend of animals supplemented with sucrose wholly or partly through the abomasum having lower faecal DM and therefore poor pellet formation, and low pH. Although the glucogenic potential of the fermentation products absorbed from the rumen was increased (p<0.001) by intra-ruminal supplementation with sucrose ($E_R$ and $E_{RA}$), there was no significant difference (p<0.05) in acetate clearance rate between the four dietary treatments.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.6 no.4
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• pp.561-567
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• 1993

Twenty Korean native bulls averaging 181 kg body weight were fed a fixed amount (1.5% of live weight) of concentrate and free choice roughage cubes which had four ratios of rice straw and orchard grass hay; 100:0, 85:15, 70:30 and 55:45 on a weight basis. Five bulls were assigned to each treatment and fed for 98 days in a confinement house. Nutrient digestibility and available energy content of mixed rations (40% concentrate and 60% roughage cubes) was determined in a digestion trial with twelve wethers. In vitro dry matter digestibility (IVDMD) and in situ dry matter disappearance of the roughage cubes were also determined. The ratio of grass hay to rice straw did not influence dry matter intake. Significant improvements in body weight gains and feed/gain ratios were obtained as grass hay levels increased. Average daily gain and feed/gain for each treatment was 0.83, 0.88, 0.98 and 0.99 kg; 7.63m 7.59, 6.83 and 6.41, respectively. Digestibility of the nutrients was improved with increasing levels of grass hay in the cubes. The IVDMD of roughage samples having a ritio of 100:0, 85:15, 70:30 and 55:45 between rice straw and orchard grass hay were 31.0, 37.1, 41.8 and 43.4%, respectively. Grass hay improved the IVDMD of rice straw diets in a linear manner up to 30%. In situ dry matter disappearance rate was also increased as the level of orchard grass hay increased.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.18 no.9
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• pp.1267-1272
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• 2005

The effect of various moisture contents of fresh forage on the change in nitrogen (N) fractions, in vitro ruminal N degradability, and the subsequent N utilization of silage in sheep were evaluated. Orchardgrass (Dactylis glomerata L.) with high (HM, 76%), medium (MM, 65%) and low (LM, 40%) moisture contents were ensiled into silos of 120 L capacity for 120 days. A nitrogen balance trial was conducted using a 4${\times}$4 Latin square design consisting of four dietary treatments (i.e. fresh forage, HM, MM and LM silages) and four wethers. With respect to N fractions, fraction 1 (buffer solution soluble N), fraction 2 (buffer solution insoluble N-neutral detergent insoluble N), fraction 3 (neutral detergent insoluble N-acid detergent insoluble N), and fraction 4 (acid detergent insoluble N) were determined. The proportion of fraction 1 in silages tended to decrease, while the in vitro ruminal degradability of insoluble N increased (p<0.05) with lower moisture contents at ensiling. Consequently, nitrogen utilization in sheep tended to improve as the moisture content of ensiled grass was decreased, with a negative correlation (p<0.01) between urinary N and the in vitro ruminal degradability of insoluble N. The averaged N retentions for HM, MM, and LM silage treatments were 59, 73 and 79% of that for fresh forage, respectively.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.18 no.3
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• pp.350-353
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• 2005

Effects of sucrose supplement on the pattern of VFA production and microbial protein synthesis in the rumen were examined in sheep consuming basal diet of grass silage (2.5 kg fresh wt/d) that was provided in 24 equal meals each day by an automatic feeder. Four mature wethers were allocated to four experimental treatments in a 4${\times}$4 Latin square design with periods lasting 14 days. The treatments were (1) the basal diet, (2) supplemented with 150 g sucrose and 7.0 g urea, (3) 300 g sucrose and 13 g urea, and (4) 450 g sucrose and 20 g urea given as a continuous intraruminal infusion for 24 h. All infusions were given in 2 litres of aqueous solution per day using a peristaltic pump. The effect of sucrose level on rumen mean pH was significantly linear (p<0.01). There were not significant differences in the concentration of ammonia-N, total VFA and the molar proportions of acetate, propionate and butyrate with the level of sucrose infusion. The molar proportions of isobutyric acid (p<0.05) and isovaleric acid (p<0.001) were significantly reduced when the infused amount of sucrose was increased. The flow of microbial N was linearly (p<0.001) increased with sucrose and urea level. High levels of readily fermentable carbohydrate in a ration reduced the efficiency of microbial protein synthesis in the rumen. It was demonstrated that of the individual fatty acids, only the molar proportion of isovalerate showed a significant negative correlation (R2=$0.3501^{**}$) with the amount of microbial N produced and a significant positive correlation (R2=$0.2735^{**}$) with the efficiency of microbial growth.