• Journal of Animal Science and Technology
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• v.46 no.3
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• pp.373-386
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• 2004

This study was conducted to investigate effects of the brown seaweed residues supplementation on in vitro fermentation, and milk yield and milk composition of dairy cows. Therefore, two experiments consisting of an in vitro and an in vivo growth trial were used. In in vitro experiment, brown seaweed residues(BSR) was supplemented in basal diet with 0, 1, 2 and 4% respectively, and incubated for 3, 6, 9, 12, and 24 h. The pH value, ammonia-N and VFA were investigated. The pH value tended to increase with increasing BSR during the incubation. Particularly, pH was significantly higher in BSR treatments compared with control at 9 h(p < 0.05). While, ammonia-N concentration was not significantly different across treatments during the whole incubation. BSR supplementation did not affect total VFA production, but acetate was linearly increased in BSR treatments compared with control at 12 h(p < 0.05), and its concentration was highest(92.70 mM) in 4% BSR among treatments. The concentration of iso-butyrate tended to increase in BSR treatments in comparison to control during the incubation. In addition, the concentration of iso-valerate was higher in BSR treatments compared with control at 12 and 24 h. In growth trial, BSR was added(800 g/d/animaI) to diets of dairy cow. Dry matter intake was not affected by BSR supplementation, but daily milk yield(kg) significantly increased in BSR treatment compared with control(p < 0.05). However, milk composition(%) and milk yield(kg) were not significantly different between treatments. Milk fat(% and kg/d) tended to slightly decrease in BSR treatment compared with control(3.59% and 1.06 kg/d vs. 3.32% and 1.01 kg/d), The contents of C16:0 and C20:4 in milk significantly increased in BSR treatment compared with control reflecting from dietary fatty acid composition. The content of C18:0 in milk which is end product of biohydrogenation of CI8 unsaturated fatty acids in the rumen significantly increased in BSR treatment compared with control(p < 0.05). C18:2 content in milk tended to decrease, but tended to increase trans-II C18:l and CLA contents in milk in BSR treatment compared with control. In conclusion, it could be summarized that BSR may stabilize rumen pH, and it could improve milk yield and CIA content in milk with more than 4% of diet. Therefore, BSR could be beneficially used in dairy diets as a feed additive.