• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• 제14권7호
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• pp.941-946
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• 2001

The effects of various concentrations of saturated fatty acids (SFA; caprylic, capric and stearic acids) on the growth of the anaerobic fungus, Neocallimastix frontalis C5-1 isolated from the rumen of a Korean native goat were investigated. At higher concentrations of fatty acids (0.1%, w/v), the addition of SFA strongly decreased filter paper (FP) cellulose digestion and polysaccharide-degrading enzyme activity. The sensitivity of the rumen anaerobic fungus to the added fatty acids increased in the following order: caprylic ($C_{8:0}$)>capric($C_{10:0}$)>stearic($C_{18:0}$) acid, although stearic acid had no significant (p<0.05) inhibitory effects at any of the concentrations tested. However, the addition of SFA at lower concentrations (0.01 and 0.001% levels), did not inhibit FP cellulose degradation and enzyme activity. Furthermore, although these parameters were slightly stimulated by the addition of SFA, they were not statistically different from control values. This is the first report examining the effects of fatty acids on anaerobic gut fungi. We found that the lower levels of fatty acids used in this experiment were able to stimulate the growth and specific enzyme activities of rumen anaerobic fungi, whereas the higher levels of fatty acids were inhibitory with respect to fungal cellulolysis.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• 제26권11호
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• pp.1583-1591
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• 2013

The objective of this study was to investigate microbial population in the rumen of dairy steers as influenced by supplementing with dietary condensed tannins and saponins and different roughage to concentrate ratios. Four, rumen fistulated dairy steers (Bos indicus) were used in a $2{\times}2$ factorial arrangement in a $4{\times}4$ Latin square design. The main factors were two roughage to concentrate ratios (R:C, 60:40 and 40:60) and two supplementations of rain tree pod meal (RPM) (0 and 60 g/kg of total DM intake). Chopped 30 g/kg urea treated rice straw was used as a roughage source. All animals received feed according to respective R:C ratios at 25 g/kg body weight. The RPM contained crude tannins and saponins at 84 and 143 g/kg of DM, respectively. It was found that ruminal pH decreased while ruminal temperature increased by a higher concentrate ratio (R:C 40:60) (p<0.05). In contrast, total bacterial, Ruminococus albus and viable proteolytic bacteria were not affected by dietary supplementation. Numbers of fungi, cellulolytic bacteria, Fibrobactor succinogenes and Ruminococus flavefaciens were higher while amylolytic bacteria was lower when steers were fed at 400 g/kg of concentrate. The population of Fibrobactor succinogenes, was found to be higher with RPM supplementation. In addition, the use of real-time PCR technique indicated that the population of protozoa and methanogens were decreased (p<0.05) with supplementation of RPM and with an increasing concentrate ratio. Supplementation of RPM and feeding different concentrate ratios resulted in changing the rumen microbes especially, when the animals were fed at 600 g/kg of concentrate and supplemented with RPM which significantly reduced the protozoa and methanogens population.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• 제33권5호
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• pp.763-769
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• 2020

Objective: The experiment was conducted to study the effect of rambutan (Nephelium lappaceum) fruit peel powder (RP) on feed consumption, digestibility of nutrients, ruminal fermentation dynamics and microbial population in Thai breed cattle. Methods: Four, 2-year old (250±15 kg) beef bull crossbreds (75% Brahman×25% local breed) were allotted to experimental treatments using a 4×4 Latin square design. Four dietary supplementation treatments were imposed; non-supplementation (control, T1); supplementation of RP fed at 2% of dry matter intake (DMI) (low, T2); supplementation of RP fed at 4% of DMI (medium, T3) and supplementation of RP fed at 6% of DMI (high, T4). All cattle were given a concentrate supplement at 1% of body weight while Napier grass was provided as a free choice. Results: The findings revealed that RP supplementation did not negatively affect (p>0.05) DMI of Napier grass, while RP intake and total DMI were the greatest in the RP supplementation at 4% and 6% DMI. Nevertheless, the nutrients (dry matter, organic matter, crude protein, neutral detergent fiber, and acid detergent fiber) digestibilities were not changed in the RP supplementation groups. Rumen fermentation parameters especially those of total volatile fatty acids, acetate and butyrate were not significantly changed. However, the propionate concentration was remarkably increased (p<0.05) in the RP supplementation. Notably, the ratio of acetate to propionate, the number of protozoa, as well as the methane estimation were significantly reduced in the RP supplemented groups (4% and 6% of DMI), while the counts of bacteria was not altered. Conclusion: Supplementation of RP (4% of DMI) improved rumen propionate production, reduced protozoal population and methane estimation (p<0.05) without a negative effect on feed consumption and nutrients total tract digestibilities in beef cattle. Using dietary rambutan fruit peel powder has potential promise as a rumen regulator.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• 제22권8호
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• pp.1044-1053
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• 2012

The gene encoding an esterase enzyme was cloned from a metagenomic library of cow rumen bacteria. The esterase gene (est5S) was 1,026 bp in length, encoding a protein of 366 amino acid residues with a calculated molecular mass of 40,168 Da. The molecular mass of the enzyme was estimated to be 40,000 Da. The Est5S protein contains the Gly-X-Ser-X-Gly motif found in most bacterial and eukaryotic serine hydrolases. However, the Asp or Glu necessary for the catalytic triad [Ser-Asp-(Glu)-His] was not present, indicating Est5S represents a novel member of the GHSQG family of esterolytic enzymes. BlastP in the NCBI database analysis of Est5S revealed homology to hypothetical proteins and it had no homology to previous known lipases and esterases. Est5S was optimally active at pH 7.0 and $40^{\circ}C$. Among the p-nitrophenyl acylesters tested, high enzymatic activities were observed on the short-chain p-nitrophenyl acylesters, such as p-nitrophenyl acetate, etc. The conserved serine residue ($Ser_{190}$) was shown to be important for Est5S activity. The primers that amplified the est5S gene did not show any relative band with 49 species of culturable rumen bacteria. This implies that a new group esterase gene, est5S, may have come from a noncultured cow rumen bacterium.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• 제16권5호
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• pp.672-676
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• 2003

Effect of a surfactant Tween 80 on the bacterial growth in the rumen was examined on the in vitro pure cultures of Streptococcus bovis, Selenomonas ruminantium, Butyrivibrio fibrisolvens, Prevotella ruminicola, Megasphaera elsidenni, Fibrobacta succinogenes, Ruminanococcus albus and Ruminococcus flavefaciens. Dry matter degradability (DMD), concentrations and compositions of volatile fatty acids (VFA), and the most probable number (MPN) of cellulolytic bacteria and total number of bacteria in the presence of Tween 80 were also examined on the in vitro rumen mixed culture either with barley grain or orchardgrass hay. The growth of S. bovis, S. ruminantium, B. fibrisolvens, P. ruminicola, M. elsidenni and F. succinogenes were significantly higher (p<0.05) at over 0.05% concentrations of Tween 80 than those of the control cultures, while was not changed with R. albus and R. flavefaciens. With rumen mixed culture the DMD of barley grain and orchardgrass hay was significantly higher (p<0.05) at a 0.2% concentration of Tween 80 than the control, being reflected in the significantly higher (p<0.05) VFA production (mmol $g^{-1}$DDM) with orchardgrass hay. The higher (p<0.05) ratio of propionate to acetate at a 0.2% concentration of Tween 80 was also observed with orchardgrass hay, showing a similar trend with barley grain. No changes in the total bacterial number and MPN of cellulolytic bacteria were observed.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• 제27권9호
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• pp.1285-1292
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• 2014

An in vitro experiment was conducted to evaluate the effects of Aspergillus oryzae culture (AOC) and 2-hydroxy-4-(methylthio)-butanoic acid (HMB) on rumen fermentation and microbial populations between different roughage sources. Two roughage sources (Chinese wild rye [CWR] vs corn silage [CS]) were assigned in a $2{\times}3$ factorial arrangement with HMB (0 or 15 mg) and AOC (0, 3, or 6 mg). Gas production (GP), microbial protein (MCP) and total volatile fatty acid (VFA) were increased in response to addition of HMB and AOC (p<0.01) for the two roughages. The HMB and AOC showed inconsistent effects on ammonia-N with different substrates. For CWR, neither HMB nor AOC had significant effect on molar proportion of individual VFA. For CS, acetate was increased (p = 0.02) and butyrate was decreased (p<0.01) by adding HMB and AOC. Increase of propionate was only occurred with AOC (p<0.01). Populations of protozoa ($p{\leq}0.03$) and fungi ($p{\leq}0.02$) of CWR were differently influenced by HMB and AOC. Percentages of F. succinogenes, R. albus, and R. flavefaciens (p<0.01) increased when AOC was added to CWR. For CS, HMB decreased the protozoa population (p = 0.01) and increased the populations of F. succinogenes and R. albus ($p{\leq}0.03$). Populations of fungi, F. succinogenes (p = 0.02) and R. flavefacien (p = 0.03) were increased by adding AOC. The HMB${\times}$AOC interactions were noted in MCP, fungi and R. flavefacien for CWR and GP, ammonia-N, MCP, total VFA, propionate, acetate/propionate (A/P) and R. albus for CS. It is inferred that addition of HMB and AOC could influence rumen fermentation of forages by increasing the number of rumen microbes.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• 제10권4호
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• pp.364-370
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• 1997

Four local cattle were ($145{\pm}9.7kg$) used in a $4{\times}4$ Latin square design to study the effect of different levels of rumen degradable protein (RDP) in straw based ration on purine derivatives excretion and microbial N supply in cattle. The four rations were formulated at the same amount of energy but varying RDP approximately 50 (U0), 75 (U1), 100 (U2) and 150 (U3) percent levels of RDP requirement for maintenance. They were fed ranged from 101 to 304 g RDP/d. Apparent digestibility of all nutrients increased significantly (p < 0.01) in cattle fed ration U2 than other rations. Rumen $NH_3-N$ concentration increased from 43 to 130 mg/l in response of RDP intake. Purine derivatives excretion increased significantly (p < 0.01) with incremental level of 203 g RDP/d (U2) intake and positively correlated (r=0.69, p < 0.01, n=16) with amount of RDP intake. The rates of rumen microbial N supply were 16.8, 27.2, 39.1 and 32.9 g/d for rations U0, U1, U2 and U3 respectively. Efficiency of microbial N supply (EMNS) per kg of DOMR were 19.0, 25.3, 33.0, and 28.6 g and per MJ of ME. Intake were 0.62, 1.00, 1.44 and 1.21 g for U0, U1, U2 and U3 respectively and highest results were obtained in cattle fed U2 ration. Results of this study suggest that PD excretion and EMNS were increased as incremental level of RDP intake (U2) in local cattle.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• 제22권3호
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• pp.378-387
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• 2009

To investigate the effects of sago palm pith (SPP) substitution of corn in the diets on intake, digestibility, rumen fermentation characteristics, nitrogen balance and microbial N Supply, five ruminally fistulated Southern indigenous cattle (mean initial BW = 226${\pm}$5 kg) were randomly assigned to a 5${\times}$5 Latin Square Design to receive five diets, $T_1$ = concentrate with 0% SPP, $T_2$ = 25% SPP, $T_3$ = 50% SPP, $T_4$ = 75% SPP and $T_5$ = 100% SPP, of dietary dry matter, respectively. Plicatulum hay (PH) was offered ad libitum as the roughage. A metabolism trial lasted for 21 days during which liveweight changes and feed intakes were measured. Based on this experiment, there were no significant differences (p>0.05) among treatments groups regarding total DM intake (OMI, NDFI and ADFI) and digestion coefficients of nutrients (DM, OM, CP, NDF and ADF), while total DM intake (% BW) was significantly (p<0.05) higher as higher levels of SPP were incorporated into diets. Rumen parameters (ruminal temperature, pH, glucose, packed cell volume, volatile fatty acid and rumen microorganism populations) were similar among treatments (p>0.05), whereas $NH_3-N$, blood urea nitrogen and molar proportion of propionate concentrations were significantly (p<0.05) higher as higher levels of SPP were incorporated into diets. The amount of N absorption, N retention and microbial protein synthesis were similar among treatments. These results indicate that SPP can be included in diets for Southern indigenous cattle to supply up to 100% of supplemental corn when fed with PH without negative impact on animal performance and it was a good approach in exploiting the use of local feed resources for beef cattle production.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• 제28권3호
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• pp.343-350
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• 2015

Cocoa pod is among the by-products of cocoa (Theobroma cacao) plantations. The aim of this study was to apply a number of treatments in order to improve nutritional quality of cocoa pod for feeding of ruminants. Cocoa pod was subjected to different treatments, i.e. C (cocoa pod without any treatment or control), CAm (cocoa pod+1.5% urea), CMo (cocoa pod+3% molasses), CRu (cocoa pod+3% rumen content) and CPh (cocoa pod+3% molasses+Phanerochaete chrysosporium inoculum). Analysis of proximate and Van Soest's fiber fraction were performed on the respective treatments. The pods were then subjected to an in vitro digestibility evaluation by incubation in rumen fluid-buffer medium, employing a randomized complete block design (n = 3 replicates). Further, an in vivo evaluation of the pods (35% inclusion level in total mixed ration) was conducted by feeding to young Holstein steers (average body weight of $145{\pm}3.6kg$) with a $5{\times}5$ latin square design arrangement (n = 5 replicates). Each experimental period lasted for 30 d; the first 20 d was for feed adaptation, the next 3 d was for sampling of rumen liquid, and the last 7 d was for measurements of digestibility and N balance. Results revealed that lignin content was reduced significantly when cocoa pod was treated with urea, molasses, rumen content or P. chrysosporium (p<0.01) with the following order of effectiveness: CPh>CAm>CRu>CMo. Among all treatments, CAm and CPh treatments significantly improved the in vitro dry matter and organic matter digestibility (p<0.05) of cocoa pod. Average daily gain of steers receiving CAm or CPh treatment was significantly higher than that of control (p<0.01) with an increase of 105% and 92%, respectively. Such higher daily gain was concomitant with higher N retention and proportion of N retention to N intake in CAm and CPh treatments than those of control (p<0.05). It can be concluded from this study that treatment with either urea or P. chrysosporium is effective in improving the nutritive value of cocoa pod.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• 제9권5호
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• pp.519-524
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• 1996

An investigation was carried out to study the microbial colonization and degradation of five crop residues, viz., sago waste, rice straw, oil palm trunk shavings, untreated palm press fibre and palm press fibre teated with 3% ammonium hydroxide in the rumen of goats. Colonisation by rumen bacteria and fungi was already established on all the five crop residues 8 h after incubation. However, the extent of colonization varied among the crop residues. Microbial colonization was poor on palm press fibre (treated and untreated) but more extensive on sago waste, oil palm trunk shavings and rice straw. By 24 h, most of the soft-walled tissues in sago waste, rice straw and oil palm trunk shavings were degraded leaving the thick-walled tissues extensively colonized by bacteria and fungi. Degradation on palm press fibre was still limited. At 48 h, the thick-walled tissues of sago waste, oil palm trunk shavings and rice straw showed various degrees of degradation - from small erosion zones to large digested areas. Bacterial growth was similar to that at 24 h but fungal growth was less. On palm press fibre, microbial colonization was more extensive than at 24 h but degradation of the fibres was still limited. Degradation of all the five crop residues at 72 h was somewhat similar to that at 48 h. Overall, microbial colonization and degradation were the most extensive on sago waste, followed by rice straw and oil palm trunk shavings, and the least on palm press fibre (treated and untreated). Dry matter loss of the five crop residues at the various incubation periods also showed the same order of degradation.