• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.29 no.5
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• pp.659-665
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• 2016

The effects of three different feeding systems on beef cattle production performance, rumen fermentation, and rumen digesta particle structure were investigated by using 18 Limousin (steers) with a similar body weight ($575{\pm}10kg$) in a 80-d experiment. The animals were equally and randomly divided into three treatment groups, namely, total mixed ration group (cattle fed TMR), SI1 group (cattle fed concentrate firstly then roughage), and SI2 group (cattle fed roughage firstly then concentrate). The results showed that the average daily gain was significantly higher in cattle receiving TMR than in those receiving SI1 and SI2 (p<0.05). Consumption per kg weight gain of concentrate, silage, and combined net energy (NEmf) were significantly decreased when cattle received TMR, unlike when they received SI1 and SI2 (p<0.05), indicating that the feed efficiency of TMR was the highest. Blood urea nitrogen (BUN) was significantly decreased when cattle received TMR compared with that in cattle receiving SI1 (p<0.05), whereas there was no difference compared with that in cattle receiving SI2. Ammonia nitrogen concentration was significantly lower in cattle receiving TMR than in those receiving SI1 and SI2 (p<0.05). The rumen area of cattle that received TMR was significantly larger than that of cattle receiving SI1 (p<0.05), but there was no difference compared with that of cattle receiving SI2. Although there was no significant difference among the three feeding systems in rumen digesta particle distribution, the TMR group trended to have fewer large- and medium-sized particles and more small-sized particles than those in the SI1 and SI2 groups. In conclusion, cattle with dietary TMR showed increased weight gain and ruminal development and decreased BUN. This indicated that TMR feeding was more conducive toward improving the production performance and rumen fermentation of beef cattle.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.32 no.4
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• pp.548-555
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• 2019

Objective: The main objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of different feeding levels of a total mixed ration silage-based diet on feed intake, total tract digestion, enteric methane emissions, and energy partitioning in two beef cattle genotypes. Methods: Six mature bulls (three Thai natives, and three Thai natives - Charolais crossbreeds) were assigned in a replicated $3{\times}3$ Latin square design, with cattle breed genotype in separate squares, three periods of 21 days, and three energy feeding above maintenance levels (1.1, 1.5, and 2.0 MEm, where MEm is metabolizable energy requirement for maintenance). Bulls were placed in a metabolic cage equipped with a ventilated head box respiration system to evaluate digestibility, record respiration gases, and determine energy balance. Results: Increasing the feeding level had no significant effect on digestibility but drastically reduced the enteric methane emission rate (p<0.05). Increasing the feeding level also significantly increased the energy retention and utilization efficiency (p<0.01). The Thai native cattle had greater enteric methane emission rate, digestibility, and energy utilization efficiency than the Charolais crossbred cattle (p<0.05). The daily metabolizable energy requirement for maintenance in Thai native cattle ($388kJ/kg\;BW^{0.75}$, where $BW^{0.75}$ is metabolic body weight) was 15% less than that in Charolais crossbred cattle ($444kJ/kg\;BW^{0.75}$). Conclusion: Our results suggested that the greater feeding level in zebu beef cattle fed above maintenance levels resulted in improved energy retention and utilization efficiency because of the reduction in enteric methane energy loss. The results also indicated higher efficiency of metabolisable energy utilization for growth and a lower energy requirement for maintenance in Bos indicus than in Bos taurus.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.24 no.8
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• pp.1092-1099
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• 2011

To evaluate the effects of replacing concentrate with urea molasses treated fermented wheat straw (FWS) ensiled with cattle manure (CM) on ruminal characteristics, in situ digestion kinetics and nitrogen (N) metabolism was studied in Nili Ravi cannulated buffalo bulls in a $4{\times}4$ Latin Square Design. Wheat straw treated with urea (4%) and molasses (6%) was ensiled with cattle manure (CM) (70:30) and fermented for 40 days. Four iso-nitrogenous and iso-caloric diets were formulated. In the FWS0, FWS10, FWS20 and FWS30 diets 0, 10, 20 and 30% of the concentrate was replaced with FWS, respectively. Daily intake by bulls was restricted to 1.5% dry matter (DM) of body weight. Ruminal ammonia nitrogen concentration was greater (p<0.05) in bulls fed FWS diet than for those fed FWS0 diet at 3, 6, 9 and 12 h post-parandial. Bulls fed FWS 20 and FWS 30 diets had higher ruminal pH at 3 and 6 h post-parandial than bulls fed FWS10 and FWS0. Ruminal total volatile fatty acid (VFA) concentrations 3 h post-parandial were greater (p<0.05) in bulls fed FWS0 than those fed FWS diets. However ruminal VFA tended to increase at 6, 9 and 12 h post-parandial as the level of FWS increased. In situ ruminal DM and neutral detergent fiber (NDF) degradation, rates of disappearance and extent of digestion were higher (p<0.05) for bulls fed FWS30 diet than those fed FWS0. Ruminal DM and NDF lag time tended to decrease (p<0.05) as FWS concentration in the diet increased. Feed intake, nitrogen intake, N-balance and blood urea-N did not differ (p>0.05) in buffalo bulls fed different diets. Wheat straw treated with urea and molasses and ensiled with CM enhanced the nutritive value of wheat straw and improved nutrient utilization in buffalo bulls when up to 30% of the concentrate was replaced with FWS; no adverse effects on ruminal characteristics and nutrients digestibilities were detected.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.11 no.3
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• pp.255-259
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• 1998

Sixteen Friesian Cows were allocated equally into 4 groups in a $4{\times}4$ Latin square design to evaluate the effects of utilizing bean by-products on the feed intake and milk production. Cows were fed on 4.5% of their body weight fresh alfalfa; the remainder of their requirements were covered by one of 4 experimental concentrate treatments: 1) commercial concentrate (CC), 2) 70% CC + 30% bean hulls (BH), 3) 70% CC + 30% Polished bean (PB) and 4) 70% CC+ 15% BH + 15% PB. Results showed that the inclusion of bean hulls at 30% improved (p<0.05) milk yield, 4% fat corrected milk yield, feed conversion ratio and fat percent of the milk over the other treatments. Feeding cows on a commercial concentrate plus 30% BH or 30% PB or 15% from each of BH and PB decreased the cost of feed per kg milk by 13.6, 2.5 and 1.3 %, respectively, lower than those fed on the commercial concentrate.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.6 no.1
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• pp.61-66
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• 1993

Sixteen Korean native bulls weighing about 211 kg were randomly allotted to investigate the effect of different dietary calcium levels on performance. Feeding period was divided into growing period and fattening period for 180 days. Four calcium levels (0.44, 0.58, 0.72 and 0.86%) were used to each period. Bulls fed the diet containing 0.72% calcium had greater body weight gain and consumed more feed than bulls fed diets containing 0.44, 0.58 and 0.86% calcium and improved in feed efficiency. Bulls fed the diet containing 0.44% calcium were worst in performance. It can be concluded that Korean native bulls in growing and fattening period required no more than 0.72% calcium in diet that contained 0.55% phosphorus, and appeared that when ratio of calcium to phosphorus intake was 1.45, performance of Korean native bulls was most beneficial.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.26 no.8
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• pp.1127-1136
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• 2013

Four rumen-fistulated crossbred beef cattle (Brahman native) were randomly assigned according to a $4{\times}4$ Latin square design experiment to be fed plant herb supplements in their concentrate mixture. The treatments were: without herb supplementation (Control), lemongrass meal supplementation at 100 g/d (L), lemongrass meal supplementation at 100 g/d plus peppermint powder at 10 g/d (LP), and lemongrass meal supplementation at 100 g/d plus peppermint powder at 10 g/d with garlic powder 40 g/d (LPG), respectively. Based on the present study, the DMI and apparent digestibility of DM, OM, aNDF and ADF were not affected by dietary herb supplementation while CP digestibility tended to be decreased by herb supplement. Moreover, $NH_3$-N and BUN were decreased in all herb supplemented treatments and there was a tendency to an increase in ruminal pH in all herb supplemented groups. While there was no change in TVFA and C4 among lemongrass treatments, C2 was decreased in all herb supplemented treatments while C3 was increased. Methane production by calculation was the lowest in the LP and LPG groups. Population sizes of bacteria and protozoa were decreased in all herb supplemented groups, but not fungal zoospores. In all supplemented groups, total viable and proteolytic bacteria were decreased, while amylolytic and cellulolytic bacteria were similar. More importantly, in all herb supplemented groups, there were higher N balances, while there was no difference among treatments on purine derivative (PD) excretion or microbial N. Based on the results above, it could be concluded that there was no negative effect on ruminal fermentation characteristics and nutrient utilization by plant herb supplement, but protozoal population and $CH_4$ production were reduced. Thus, lemongrass alone or in combination with peppermint and garlic powder could be used as feed additives to improve rumen fermentation efficiency.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.57-71
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• 2009

Crop-livestock mixed farming systems depend on the efficiency with which nutrients are conserved and recycled. Home-grown forage is used as animal feed and animal excretions are applied to cultivated crop lands as manure. The objective of this study was to develop a mixed farming system model for dairy cattle in Japan. The model consisted of four sub-models: the nutrient requirement model, based on the Japanese Feeding Standards to determine requirements for energy, crude protein, dry matter intake, calcium, phosphorus and vitamin A; the optimum diet formulation model for determining the optimum diets that satisfy nutrient requirements at lowest cost, using linear programming; the herd dynamic model to calculate the numbers of cows in each reproductive cycle; and the whole farm optimization model to evaluate whole farm management from economic and environmental viewpoints and to optimize strategies for the target farm or system. To examine the model' validity, its predictions were compared against best practices for dairy farm management. Sensitivity analyses indicated that higher yielding cows lead to better economic results but higher emvironmental load in dairy cattle systems integrated with forage crop production.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Service
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• v.43 no.3
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• pp.181-187
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• 2020

On a farm with 6 Korean beef cattle, an adult cow and a calf suddenly died while eating. At that time, hair was pressed upon the stanchion facilities where the adult cow was fed. Two dead cattle were submitted to the Animal and Plant Quarantine Agency for disease diagnosis. Grossly, the mouth of the adult cow was full of feed that had been eaten before death, and there was a foamy fluid in the calf's trachea. Both hemorrhages were observed in the muscles, as well as in the internal organs such as the liver, lungs, and heart. Ruminal mucosa was easily peeled off. Histopathologically, both muscles and internal organs showed severe hemorrhages. In particular, affected muscles were shown segmental and band-like patterns of myonecrosis, disappeared some myocytes, burned hair follicles, and irregular surface of skin. Severe hemorrhages of muscles and internal organs were consistent with previous reports. Easily separated mucosa of rumen and muscle lesions were very characteristic. We determined electrocution according to the pathological findings, laboratory results, and traces of accidents. This report will help to understand of pathological lesions of electrocution. Furthermore, this case suggests that the electrical wires and devices must be installed and handled carefully during the construction of the cowsheds care.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.8 no.1
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• pp.67-73
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• 1995

This study showed that models of energy utilization(EU) developed for grazing cattle in oil palm plantations is valid as the simulated results shows an agreement with actual data of calves and cows body weight changes collected from Brahman x Kedah-Kelantan herd on Pengeli Timor Plantation. Simulation runs on EU models demonstrated that the growth pattern of male and female calves and the weight changes of cows are similar and showed slight variation from the actual data but with no significant difference (p > 0.05). Parameter values such as metabolizability (q), dry matter digestibility(DMD) of herbage and voluntary intake of grazing cattle (VIG) and faecal output/body weight ratio (F) of the animals which were collected from the field are essential in bearing the pattern of body weight changes of the calves and cows in relation to increase in time, physiological status and quality of herbage grazed by these animals in the production system. The EU models is suitable for determining the metabolizable energy requirements and to predict the production of grazing cattle according to quality of the feed on offer.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Service
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• v.39 no.4
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• pp.221-226
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• 2016

The animal welfare issues in cattle breeding include breeding environment, elimination, and castration. Among these, castration is unavoidable because it decreases cattle aggressiveness, improves meat quality, and enhances feed efficiency. In this study, the degree of stress associated with various methods of castration treatment was investigated for animal welfare in Hanwoo breeding. Cortisol levels dramatically increased right after castration in both the SoF and SoV groups. However, the increase in the SoF group was significantly (P<0.05) higher than that in the SoV group, and the range of decrease was also smaller. Among the behavioral characteristics, standing was significantly (P<0.05) higher in the SoV ($374.93{\pm}21.51$) and SoF ($379.93{\pm}21.30$) groups based on the behavioral time (min/12 hours) compared to that in the NC group ($359.37{\pm}19.69$). The SoF and SoV groups did not show any significant (P<0.05) difference. In terms of behavioral frequency, the NC group demonstrated a significantly (P<0.05) high frequency of drinking, self-grooming, scratching, and rubbing, and a significantly (P<0.05) less frequency of fighting behavior. The feeding time significantly (P<0.05) decreased in the SoV and SoF groups, and their frequencies of pairwise grooming were significantly (P<0.05) less. Based on the results, the cattle experienced less stress during castration by a veterinarian than during treatment using a move-stop.