• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.15 no.11
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• pp.1573-1578
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• 2002

This study was conducted to investigate the effects of diets that contained different levels of fungal treated wheat straw on the intake, digestibility and performance of lactating cows. Eight primiparous Holstein cows, in late lactation ranging from $170{\pm}10$ days in milk and yielding $14.3{\pm}1.3$ kg/d of fat corrected milk (FCM) were allocated into four diets with 0, 10, 20 and 30% fungal (Pleurotus ostreatus coded P-41) treated wheat straw in a $4{\times}4$ Latin Square experiment. The daily intake of DM, OM, DOM, CP and TDN were not affected by substitution of alfalfa hay with fungal treated wheat straw. Inclusion of the treated straw at different levels in the diet did not affect the digestibility of nutrients, except for the ADF that was significantly (p<0.05) reduced in the diet contained 30% treated straw. The types of the diet did not significantly affect daily milk and FCM production. The milk composition including fat, protein, lactose, solid non-fat (SNF) and total solid (TS) were not statistically (p>0.05) different among the diets. All cows gained weight, but the inclusion of treated straw to the diet significantly (p<0.05) increased the body weight gain and the highest amount was obtained in the diet containing 20% treated. Inclusion of fungal treated wheat straw up to 30% of the diet of lactating cows supplemented with a protein source such as cottonseed meal had not affected the nutrients intake and lactation performance.

• The Plant Pathology Journal
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• v.21 no.3
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• pp.258-261
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• 2005

We conducted a survey on pepper virus diseases in 31 regions in Korea from November 2001 to December 2004. Using electron microscopy, test plant reaction, rapid immuno-filter paper assay (RIPA), reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and/or analysis of viral nucleotide sequences, we found a number of viruses from 1,056 samples that we collected. These included Cucumber mosaic virus (CMV), Pepper mottle virus (PepMoV), Pepper mild mottle virus (PMMoV), Broad bean wilt virus 2 (BBWV2), Tobacco mild green mosaic virus (TMGMV), and Tomato spotted wilt virus (TSWV). Of the samples analyzed, $343(32.5\%)$ were infected with CMV, $209(19.8\%)$ with PepMoV, $141(13.4\%)$ with PMMoV, $12(1.1\%)$ with BBWV2, $40(3.8\%)$ with TMGMV, $5(0.5\%)$ with TSWV, $153(14.5\%)$ with CMV and PepMoV, $54 (5.1\%)$ with CMV and PMMoV, $31(2.9\%)$ with PepMoV and PMMoV, $3(0.3\%)$ with CMV and BBWV2, $1(0.1\%)$ with CMV, PepMoV and BBWV2, $8(0.8\%)$ with CMV, PepMoV and PMMoV, and $30 (2.8\%)$ samples were infected with viruses which were not identified. CMV was the most predominant virus in all inspected fields and the number of the samples infected with PMMoV was relatively low as compared PepMoV infection level in pepper. TMGMV was only found in the southern part of Korea, while TSWV was isolated in Anyang and Yesan. However, we did not encounter in this survey the Alfalfa mosaic virus (AMV), Potato virus Y (PVY), Tobacco mosaic virus (TMV), and Pepper vein chlorosis virus (PVCV).

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.17 no.11
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• pp.1535-1540
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• 2004

Six dry Holstein cows were used to evaluate the effect of dietary neutral detergent fiber (NDF) concentration and particle size (PS) on chewing activity. Treatments were arranged in a 3$\times$3 factorial design; total mixed rations contained three NDF concentrations (26, 32, 38%) and three PS (1.0, 1.5, 2.0 cm). NDF levels and particle sizes of diets were adjusted by formulating rate and cutting length of alfalfa hay and rice straw. Cows were fed twice daily at 90% of ad libitum feed intake throughout the experiment. Chewing activity was positively associated with NDF concentration, but not significantly affected by PS of diet. Eating time per unit of NDF intake was affected by PS rather than NDF concentration of diet. Time spent ruminating per unit DM or NDF intake increased with increasing NDF concentration of diet, but was not affected by PS. As the PS of diet increased, the eating time per day increased, but the rumination time decreased. In addition, as the number of rumination bolues decreased the rumination duration increased as well as the chews per bolus. The regression equation induced from relationships of NDF concentrations (NDF, %) and particle sizes (PS, cm) of diet on roughage value index (RVI, min of chewing time/kg DMI) was as follows. RVI=-19.672+1.44$\times$NDF+5.196$\times$PS, ($R^{2}$=0.81).

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.16 no.9
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• pp.1297-1302
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• 2003

To determine whether the feeding of different species of hay affects the dry-matter intake and the serum cortisol level of sheep, 6 non-pregnant, non-lactating ewes were offered alfalfa (Medicago sativa) hay (Al), oats (Avena sativa) hay (Ot) and perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne) hay (Pr) under 6 kinds of treatment including 1) change from Al to Ot, 2) Al to Pr, 3) Ot to Al, 4) Ot to Pr, 5) Pr to Al, and 6) Pr to Ot. The experimental design was a 6${\times}$6 Latin square with a 14 day period of which 9 days were a preliminary period and 5 days as a digestion trial period. The change in hay feeding was done abruptly on the first day of each period without an adaptation period. The blood from the jugular vein was collected on the first, third and the last day of each period through a sterile catheter for the analysis of cortisol. The dry-matter intake was recorded daily throughout the period. The mean daily intake of dry matter (DM, g/kg live weight) was significantly different among the 3 species of hay (Al>Ot>Pr; p<0.05). The digestibility of DM for Al and Ot was the same, but that for Pr was significantly lower than Al and Ot (p<0.05). The mean serum cortisol levels were significantly different among the hays (p<0.05). The level for Pr was the highest and that for Al was the lowest. The abrupt change of hay feeding of 6 treatments produced a significant change in the serum cortisol levels. The DM intake was inversely related to the change of the cortisol level. It is suggested that the animal' intake response to different species of hay may be partly motivated by the psychological feelings toward the hay offered.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.16 no.8
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• pp.1137-1142
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• 2003

In a balanced incomplete block design, two dry Holstein cows were used to investigate the effect of $\beta$ 1-4 galactooligosaccharides (GOS) supplementation on nitrogen (N) utilization, rumen fermentation and microbial N supply in the rumen. During the experiment, cows were fed four diets: orchardgrass (Dactylis glomerata L.) silage (OS), OS with GOS supplementation (OSG), OS mixed with alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) silage (MS) and MS with GOS supplementation (MSG). GOS was supplemented at 2% of dry matter intake. Diets were fed at maintenance level of protein and energy. Results showed that N digestion was affected by silage and interaction of silage and GOS supplementation. Cows fed OSG had the highest N digested (p<0.05) followed by MS, OS and MSG. Supplementation of GOS to OS or MS diets tended to improve N utilization through reducing the N losses on dairy cows. There was no effect of GOS supplementation on rumen fermentation parameters (i.e. pH, $NH_3$-N and total VFA) at 1 h and 6 h after feeding. Compared to cows fed MS, cows fed OS silage had higher (p<0.05) allantoin excretion (80.8 vs. 67.1 mmol/d) and higher (p<0.05) total purine derivatives excretion (92.9 vs. 78.5 mmol/d). The microbial N supply in cows fed OSG was higher (p<0.05) than those fed OS, MS and MSG.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.17 no.5
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• pp.629-632
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• 2004

The objectives of this study were to determine the effects of substituting bread by-product (BBP) for barley grain in high concentrate fattening diets for kids on nutrient intake, growth performance, and nutrient digestibility. Twenty-eight Baladi kids (body weight=17.1${\pm}$1.0 kg) were assigned randomly to 4 experimental finishing diets (7 kids/treatment) in a completely randomized design for 70 days. The control (CON) diet contained 20, 60, 11, 7 and 2% (DM basis) alfalfa hay, barley grain, soybean meal, corn grain, and mineral and vitamin mix, respectively. Bread by-product substituted barley grain by 10, 20 and 30% of the diet DM in the LBBP, MBBP, and HBBP diets, respectively. Dry matter intakes for the CON, LBBP and MBBP diets were similar (p>0.05; avg.=592 g/day), however, kids fed the HBBP diet had a lower (p<0.05) DM intake (451 g/day). Organic matter and CP intakes showed similar patterns to that observed for DM. Dietary treatments did not affect (p>0.05) average daily gain for kids fed the CON, LBBP and MBBP diets (avg.=150 g/day). Final body weights for kids fed the CON, LBBP and MBBP diets (avg. 27.1 kg) were greater (p<0.05) than for kids fed the HBBP diet (23.7 kg). Feed to gain ratio was greater for the CON, LBBP and MBBP diets (avg. 3.9) compared with the HBBP diet (5.0). No significant (p>0.05) effect of the dietary treatment was observed for DM, OM and NDF digestibility. Substituting BBP for barley grain up to 20% of the diet DM did not affect nutrient intake, growth performance and nutrient digestibility of kids and resulted in a decrease in feed cost.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.6 no.1
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• pp.37-40
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• 1993

This study was conducted to measure the improvement in nutritive value of rice straw by treatment with urine of goat under different temperatures. Straw samples were japonica I (comprising 15 varieties with culms longer than 123 cm and mean silica content of 13.0%), japonica II (comprising 20 varieties with culms less than 87 cm and mean silica content of 13.7%), indica I (Java 14 variety with a high content of silica of 13.9%) and indica II (comprising IR-8 and IR-20 varieties with a low content of silica of 11.0%). Urine was collected from four Japanese Saanen goats fed alfalfa hay. The different straws were sprayed with urine at the rate of 1 ml/g straw DM, put in double layer plastic bags, sealing and stored for 4 weeks at either $20^{\circ}C$ (GU-20) or $40^{\circ}C$ (GU-40). The in vitro dry matter digestibility (IVDMD) and organic matter digestibility (IVOMD) of the straws were improved by the GU-40 treatment (13.5% and 13.2%, but the GU-20 treatment had little effect of digestibility (1.5% and -0.2%) except with the low silica indica II varieties. The GU-40 treatment tended to decrease NDF and hemicellulose content of straws. Crude protein content of the straws was improved by both the GU-20 and GU-40 treatments. It was concluded that treatment of rice straw with goat urine at $40^{\circ}C$ for 4 weeks improved the crude protein content and digestibility in vitro, the greatest improvement occurring with straws of lowest digestibility in the untreated state.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.216-224
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• 2009

In Japan, since rice consumption has been decreasing with the westernization of Japanese eating habits, surplus paddy fields have been increasing. If these surplus paddy fields can be utilized for forage rice production as feed for animal production and excretions (feces and urine) from animal production can be applied to the paddy fields as manure, then the problems of surplus paddy fields and excretions from animal production may be solved, and the environment kept sustainable. The objectives of the present study were to apply a bio-economic model to dairy and forage rice integration systems in Japan and to examine the merit of introducing whole crop rice silage (WCRS), as well as economic and environmental effects of various economic and management options in the systems. Five simulations were conducted using this model. The use of WCRS as a home-grown feed increased environmental loads and decreased economic benefit because of the higher amount of purchased feed, when compared to the use of typical crops such as maize, alfalfa and timothy silage (simulation 1). Higher economic benefits from higher forage rice yields and higher milk production of a dairy cow were obtained (simulations 2, 3). There were no economic and environmental incentives for utilizing crude protein (CP) rich WCRS, because an increase in the CP content in WCRS led to the use of more chemical fertilizers, resulting in high production costs and nitrogen outputs (simulation 4). When evaluated under the situation of a fixed herd size, increasing forage rice yields decreased the total benefit of the production, in spite of the fact that the amount of subsidies per unit of land increased (simulation 5). It was indicated that excess subsidy support may not promote yield of forage rice. It was, however, observed in most cases that dairy and forage rice integration systems could not be economically established without subsidies.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.25 no.6
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• pp.818-823
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• 2012

Tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea Schreb.) is an important cool season forage plant that is not well suited to extreme heat, salts, or heavy metals. To develop transgenic tall fescue plants with enhanced tolerance to abiotic stress, we introduced an alfalfa Hsp23 gene expression vector construct through Agrobacterium-mediated transformation. Integration and expression of the transgene were confirmed by polymerase chain reaction, northern blot, and western blot analyses. Under normal growth conditions, there was no significant difference in the growth of the transgenic plants and the non-transgenic controls. However, when exposed to various stresses such as salt or arsenic, transgenic plants showed a significantly lower accumulation of hydrogen peroxide and thiobarbituric acid reactive substances than control plants. The reduced accumulation of thiobarbituric acid reactive substances indicates that the transgenic plants possessed a more efficient reactive oxygen species-scavenging system. We speculate that the high levels of MsHsp23 proteins in the transgenic plants protect leaves from oxidative damage through chaperon and antioxidant activities. These results suggest that MsHsp23 confers abiotic stress tolerance in transgenic tall fescue and may be useful in developing stress tolerance in other crops.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.24 no.3
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• pp.344-350
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• 2011

Kura clover (Trifolium ambiguum M. Bieb.) is a potentially useful perennial legume because of its excellent nutritive value and persistence under environmental extremes. However, information about forage quality of kura clover - grass mixtures adapted to the North-Central USA is limited. Objectives of this research were to determine forage nutritional value of kura clover-grass mixtures under different harvest frequency and cutting height regimes. 'Rhizo' kura clover was grown alone and in binary mixtures with 'Park' Kentucky bluegrass (Poa pratensis L.), 'Comet' orchardgrass (Dactylis glomerata L.), and 'Badger' smooth bromegrass (Bromus inermis Leyss.) at the Arlington Agricultural Research Station located near Madison, WI. Three harvest frequencies ($3{\times}$, $4{\times}$, or $5{\times}$ annually) and two cutting heights (4- or 10-cm) were imposed on each binary mixture and on kura clover grown alone. Higher nutritive value was observed in the binary mixtures with more frequent harvest and lower cutting height. Averaged over 3 years and all harvest frequency and cutting height treatments, the nutritive value of the Kentucky bluegrass and smooth bromegrass mixtures was superior to that of the orchardgrass mixture ($410\;g\;kg^{-1}$ NDF and $194\;g\;kg^{-1}$ CP in the Kentucky bluegrass mixture; $405\;g\;kg^{-1}$ NDF and $188\;g\;kg^{-1}$ CP in the smooth bromegrass mixture; $435\;g\;kg^{-1}$ NDF and $175\;g\;kg^{-1}$ CP in the orchardgrass mixture). All of the mixtures and harvest management systems evaluated in this study produced forage with quality equivalent to "grade one" alfalfa hay and suitable for highproducing livestock, even though the highest quality was observed in the Kentucky bluegrass mixture with $5{\times}$ harvesting at the shorter cutting height.