• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.27 no.6
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• pp.806-817
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• 2014

The objective of this experiment was to evaluate the effect of providing different levels of a supplement on the nutritional characteristics and productive performance of heifers on pasture during the rainy-dry transition and dry season in Brazil or tropical area. Thirty crossbred heifers with predominance of Zebu breed were used in a completely randomized experimental design. Treatments consisted of a mineral supplement and 0.5, 1.0, 1.5, or 2.0 kg/animal/d of a protein supplement containing 300 g crude protein (CP)/kg of dry matter (DM). In the rainy-dry transition season there was quadratic effect of the protein supplementation (p<0.10) on daily weight gain (DWG). A linear relationship (p<0.10) was found between increasing supplement intake and intakes of DM, organic matter (OM), crude protein (CP), ether extract (EE), non fibrous carbohydrates (NFC) and total digestible nutrients (TDN). Coefficients of apparent digestibility of CP, EE, and NFC increased linearly (p<0.10) with increasing supplement levels, but there was no effect on the DM apparent digestibility (p>0.10); the microbial efficiency (g CPmic/kg TDN) and the relationship of microbial nitrogen flow with nitrogen intake (g/g nitrogen intake) were negative linear profiles. In the dry season, the descriptive pattern least squares means showed a trend of stabilization of DWG from the supply of 0.98 kg of protein supplement; the intakes of DM, OM, CP, EE, NFC, and TDN showed increasing linear relationship (p<0.10) with protein supplement levels; the means of apparent digestibility coefficients of the different dietary fractions presented a linear-response-plateau (LRP); the microbial nitrogen flow (g/d) showed positive linear profile (p<0.10) for supplementation levels. It is concluded that supplementation improves the productive performance of grazing heifers and that 1.0 kg/d of supplement per animal gives the maximum increment of weight gain.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.30 no.10
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• pp.1396-1404
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• 2017

Objective: This study was determined the influence of virginiamycin supplementation on growth-performance and characteristics of digestion of cattle with decreasing dietary net energy value of the diet for maintenance ($NE_m$) from 2.22 to 2.10 Mcal/kg. Methods: Eighty crossbred beef steers ($298.2{\pm}6.3kg$) were used in a 152-d performance evaluation consisting of a 28-d adaptation period followed by a 124-d growing-finishing period. During the 124-d period steers were fed either a lesser energy dense (LED, $2.10Mcal/kg\;NE_m$) or higher energy dense (HED, $2.22Mcal/kg\;NE_m$) diet. Diets were fed with or without 28 mg/kg (dry matter [DM] basis) virginiamycin in a $2{\times}2$ factorial arrangement. Four Holstein steers ($170.4{\pm}5.6kg$) with cannulas in the rumen (3.8 cm internal diameter) and proximal duodenum were used in $4{\times}4$ Latin square experiment to study treatment effects on characteristics of digestion. Results: Neither diet energy density nor virginiamycin affected average daily gain (p>0.10). As expected, dry matter intake and gain efficiency were greater (p<0.01) for LED- than for HED-fed steers. Virginiamycin did not affect estimated net energy value of the LED diet. Virginiamycin increased estimated NE of the HED diet. During daylight hours when the temperature humidity index averaged $81.3{\pm}2.7$, virginiamycin decreased (p<0.05) ruminal temperature. Virginiamycin did not influence (p>0.10) ruminal or total tract digestion. Ruminal (p = 0.02) and total tract digestion (p<0.01) of organic matter, and digestible energy (p<0.01) were greater for HED vs LED. Ruminal microbial efficiency was lower (p<0.01) for HED vs LED diets. Conclusion: The positive effect of virginiamycin on growth performance of cattle is due to increased efficiency of energy utilization, as effects of virginiamycin on characteristics of digestion were not appreciable. Under conditions of high ambient temperature virginiamycin may reduce body temperature.

• Journal of Animal Science and Technology
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• v.45 no.4
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• pp.593-606
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• 2003

This study was conducted to develop effective manufacturing methods of a total mixed ration(TMR) composed of broiler litter(BL) and bakery by-product(BB) for ruminants. Five experiments included a small-scaled manufacture of TMR using a deepstacking method(Exp. 1), its pelletization(Exp. 2), its field-scaled manufacture(Exp. 3), a field-scaled manufacture using an ensiling method(Exp. 4), and a mixing process of deepstacked BL and BB prior to feeding(Exp. 5). BL and BB were mixed at a ratio which makes total digestible nutrients of the TMR 69%. For each experiment, temperature, appearance and physico-chemical properties were recorded and analyzed. The chemical composition data revealed that the mixture of BL and BB showed nutritionally additive balance which resulted from a considerable increase(P<0.05) of organic matter and a desirable decrease(P<0.05) of protein and fiber up to the requirement level for growing ‘Hanwoo’ steers. Deepstacking of BL and BB in Exp. 1 and 3 resulted in a sufficient increase of stack temperature for pasteurization, little chemical losses, appearance of white fungi on the surface, and partial charring due to excess stack temperature. For Exp. 2, its pelleting, which was successful using a simple, small-scaled pelletizer, resulted in a little loss(P<0.05) of organic matter and an increase(P<0.05) of indigestible protein(ADF-CP). Ensiling the mixture in Exp. 4 made little effect on chemical composition; however, one month of the ensiling period was not enough for favorable silage parameters. Deepstacking BL alone in Exp. 5 tended(P<0.1) to decrease true protein : NPN ratio and hemicellulose content and increase ADF-CP content due to the heat damage occurred. Deepstacking or ensiling of BL-BB mixtures and simple incorporating of BB into deepstacked BL prior to feeding could be practical and nutrients-preservative methods in TMR manufacture for beef cattle, although ensiling needed further hygienic evaluation.

• Korean Journal of Soil Science and Fertilizer
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• v.45 no.2
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• pp.177-184
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• 2012

This experiment was carried out to investigate soil properties and the requirement of livestock manure compost in a large-scale environment-friendly agricultural complex (EFAC), Gosan, Wanju-gun, Jeonbuk. Total cultivation area of major crops was 2,353 ha. This complex area included different types of environment-friendly cropping sections (402.9ha) and livestock farming including 21,077 Korean beef cattle, 1,099 dairy cow, and 32,993 hog. Amount of livestock waste carried in to Resource Center for Crop and Livestock Farming (RCCLF) was 32 Mg per day and the production of manure compost was 9,600 Mg per year. The manure contained 1.4% total nitrogen (T-N), 2.7% phosphorus as $P_2O_5$, 2.1% potassium as $K_2O$, 0.9% magnesium as MgO, 2.5% calcium as CaO. Amount of compost used in the EFAC was 6,588 Mg per year. Soil pH values in the EFAC were varied as follows: 78.1% of paddy field soil, 58.2% of upland soil, 60.3% of orchard field soil, and 62.1% of greenhouse soil were in proper range. For the content of soil organic matter, 41.7% of paddy field soil, 46.5% of upland soil, 40.5% of orchard field soil, and 81.4% of greenhouse soil were higher than proper range. The content of available phosphorus was mostly higher than proper value on the different fields except upland soil. The contents of exchangeable $K^+$, $Ca^{2+}$, and $Mg^{2+}$ were also exceeded in the orchard field and greenhouse soils. In addition, microbial population, especially aerobic bacteria, in the EFAC was higher than that in regular farming land.

• Korean Journal of Soil Science and Fertilizer
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• v.41 no.5
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• pp.354-361
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• 2008

In this study, we analyzed nutrient cycling structure of a small farm (cattle of 100 heads and arable lands of 2.5 ha) in Jeonnam province to investigate the effects of nutrients input by the addition of bedding materials (sawdust and rice hull) and nutrients loss before the application to the soils (the period during manure storage in the feedlot and composting process) on nutrient cycling structure. Sawdust and rice hull added as bedding materials increased N by 1.6% and 14.2% and $P_2O_5$ by 3.1% and 27.4%, respectively, relative to the amount of nutrients produced by excretion. This result suggests that the addition of nutrients via bedding materials should be considered for better estimation of nutrient balance. The most significant characteristics of the nutrient cycling structure was loss of mass and nutrients during the storage (21 days) and composting period (90 days). During this period, 78.4% of N and 9.5% of $P_2O_5$ was lost from sawdust compost; meanwhile, the percentages of loss for rice hull compost were 81.6% and 10.3%, respectively. A lower percentage of nutrients loss in sawdust compost than that in rice hull compost was attributed to the relatively slow decomposition rate of organic materials in the sawdust compost which has higher C/N ratio and lignin contents. Therefore, it was concluded that estimation of nutrient balance should be conducted based on nutrient contents in the final compost being applied to the lands rather than the amount of nutrients contained in the livestock excretion. In addition, the effects of bedding materials on nutrient losses should be also taken into account.