• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.13 no.9
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• pp.1239-1244
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• 2000

In order to investigate the effect of incorporation of thermally processed cereal (maize) grain and differently degradable protein sources in the calf starter, twenty four newly born crossbred $(Bos\;taurus{\times}Bos\;indicus)$ calves were assigned at random to six diets in a $3{\times}2$ factorial design involving three protein sources viz. groundnut meal (GN), cottonseed meal (CS) and meat and bone meal (MB), each along with two differently processed grain, namely ground raw (R) and pressure cooked (P) maize. The corresponding calf starters with green oats (Avena sativa) were given free-choice from 14 d onwards till the end of the 90 d experimental feeding. A restricted milk diet was fed till the age of weaning at 60 d. Total DM intake was not affected by cereal or protein sources. However, daily intake of DM (59.23 vs 66.45 g) and CP (12.38 vs 14.10 g) per kg $W^{0.75}$ was reduced (p<0.05) due to cereal processing. Better (p<0.05) feed and protein efficiencies after weaning and during entire period in calves fed processed maize resulted in a trend of higher $(p{\leq}092)$ growth rate especially when GN was the source of protein. In comparison among protein sources, calves fed MB diets tended to grow faster $(p{\leq}098)$ concurrent with a higher CP intake before weaning. It is thus evident that thermal processing of maize in the calf starter seems to improve calf performance. Moreover, results indicated that feeding of protein and starch sources of matching ruminal degradability may prove beneficial for early growth of crossbred calves.

• Journal of Animal Science and Technology
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• v.44 no.5
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• pp.549-560
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• 2002

This study, including two in vitro experiments and an in vivo experiment were conducted to evaluate effects of Passtein$^{(R)}$ on crude protein degradability, ruminal fermentation characteristics and nutrient digestibility. In in vitro experiment protein degradability was examined using borate-phosphate buffer and neutral detergent, and using protease from Stroptomyces griseus at 39$^{\circ}C$ for 0, 2, 4, 8, 12, and 48 h. In addition, an in vivo experiment was conducted in a switch back design and ruminal fermentation and nutrient digestibility were determined. Four ruminal-fistulated Holstein cows weighing 300kg in mean body weight randomly allotted to 2 treatments (control and Passtein$^{(R)}$ supplementation). Although there was no significant difference on protein fraction between treatments, it appears that Passtein$^{(R)}$ supplementation decreased buffer soluble protein fraction compared to control. Protein degradability was not affected by Passtein$^{(R)}$ from 0 h to 4 h, but decreased at 12 h and 48 h compared to control. Degradation of immediately degradable fraction was higher in Passtein$^{(R)}$ treatment, but degradation of fermentable fraction was lower in Passtein$^{(R)}$ treatment compared to control. The pH and $NH_3$-N concentration tended to increase in Passtein$^{(R)}$ treatment, but VFA production, microbial counts and enzyme activity tended to decrease in Passtein$^{(R)}$ treatment compared to control. In addition, nutrient digestibility in the total tract tended to increase in Passtein$^{(R)}$ treatment compared to control.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.13 no.8
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• pp.1076-1083
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• 2000

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of Aspergillus oryzae fermentation extract (AFE) on in situ degradation of the various concentrates, forages and by-products in Taiwan. The in situ trial was conducted to determine the effect of AFE on the rate of ruminal degradation of dry matter (DM), organic matter (OM), neutral detergent fiber (NDF), and acid detergent fiber (ADF) of the various local available feedstuff commonly used for dairy cattle. Two ruminal fistulated cows were arranged into a two by two switchback trial. Two dietary treatments were control without AFE inclusion diet and diet with 3 g of AFE (Amaferm) added daily into the total mixed ration (TMR). Results showed that effect of AFE inclusion on the ruminal degradability of concentrates vary; soybean meal is the most responsive feedstuff, corn is the next, whereas full-fat soybean did not response the AFE inclusion at all. The inclusion of AFE significantly depressed most of the nutrient degradation of the concentrates of soybean meal in the first 12-hour in situ incubation. The effect declined in the next 12 hours. Rapeseed meal showed a different trend of response: addition of AFE improved its NDF degradation. The inclusions of AFE significantly improved ADF degradation of roughage after 24 or 48 hours of incubation. However, corn silage and peanut-vines showed a different trend. Effects of AFE inclusion on the by-products degradability were inconsistent. Most of nutrients in rice distillers grain and some in beancurd pomace did show increased degradation by the AFE inclusion.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.26 no.4
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• pp.509-516
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• 2013

This study estimated the fermentation characteristics and nutrient value of corn-lablab bean mixture silages relative to corn silages. The effects of feeding corn-lablab bean mixture silages on nutrient apparent digestibility and milk production of dairy cows in northern China were also investigated. Three ruminally cannulated Holstein cows were used to determine the ruminal digestion kinetics and ruminal nutrient degradability of corn silage and corn-lablab bean mixture silages. Sixty lactating Holstein cows were randomly divided into two groups of 30 cows each. Two diets were formulated with a 59:41 forage: concentrate ratio. Corn silage and corn-lablab bean mixture silages constituted 39.3% of the forage in each diet, with Chinese wildrye hay constituting the remaining 60.7%. Corn-lablab bean mixture silages had higher lactic acid, acetic acid, dry matter (DM), crude protein (CP), ash, Ca, ether extract concentrations and ruminal nutrient degradability than monoculture corn silage (p<0.05). Neutral detergent fiber (NDF) and acid detergent fiber (ADF) concentrations of corn-lablab bean mixture silages were lower than those of corn silage (p<0.05). The digestibility of DM, CP, NDF, and ADF for cows fed corn-lablab bean mixture silages was higher than for those fed corn silage (p<0.05). Feeding corn-lablab bean mixture silages increased milk yield and milk protein of dairy cows when compared with feeding corn silage (p<0.05). The economic benefit for cow fed corn-lablab bean mixture silages was 8.43 yuan/day/cow higher than that for that fed corn silage. In conclusion, corn-lablab bean mixture improved the fermentation characteristics and nutrient value of silage compared with monoculture corn. In this study, feeding corn-lablab bean mixture silages increased milk yield, milk protein and nutrient apparent digestibility of dairy cows compared with corn silage in northern China.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.6 no.1
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• pp.5-11
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• 1993

First crop of alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) was harvested, wilted and ensiled with or without NaOH or $NH_3$, and fed to three rumen fistulated goats in a $3{\times}3$ Latin-square design. Each alkali treatment (2.44% of alfalfa dry matter) was made by spraying its solution prior to ensiling. Silage pH, $NH_3-N$ and butyric acid concentration were increased with each alkali addition, and NaOH-treated silage showed the lowest chemical quality. Compared with untreated silage, digestibilities of organic matter, ADF and cellulose were depressed by both alkali treatments, and the reductions in NaOH-treated silage were significant. Crude protein digestibility was also significantly decreased in NaOH-treated silage, but the goats receiving the silage excreted less nitrogen in urine than those on the other two silages. Nitrogen retention of goats was not different among the treatments. Ruminal solubility and potential degradability of dry matter and nitrogen determined with the in situ bag technique were reduced, and rate of degradation of the two components were increased by the NaOH treatment. Addition of $NH_3$ provided ruminal soluble nitrogen to the silage, but the rate of degradation was similar to that of untreated silage. These results suggest that NaOH treatment would denature the protein and reduce the susceptibility to microbial degradation in the rumen, while no positive effect of alkali treatment on fiber digestion and nitrogen utilization was observed in this study.

• Journal of Animal Science and Technology
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• v.60 no.11
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• pp.26.1-26.9
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• 2018

Background: This experiment aimed at assessing polyphenol-rich plant biomass to use in complete feed making for the feeding of ruminants. Methods: An in vitro ruminal evaluation of complete blocks (CFB) with (Acacia nilotica, Ziziphus nummularia leaves) and without (Vigna sinensis hay) polyphenol rich plant leaves was conducted by applying Menke's in vitro gas production (IVGP) technique. A total of six substrates, viz. three forages and three CFBs were subjected to in vitro ruminal fermentation in glass syringes to assess gas and methane production, substrate degradability, and rumen fermentation metabolites. Results: Total polyphenol content (g/Kg) was 163 in A. nilotica compared to 52.5 in Z. nummularia with a contrasting difference in tannin fractions, higher hydrolysable tannins (HT) in the former (140.1 vs 2.8) and higher condensed (CT) tannins in the later (28.3 vs 7.9). The potential gas production was lower with a higher lag phase (L) in CT containing Z. nummularia and the component feed block. A. nilotica alone and as a constituent of CFB produced higher total gas but with lower methane while the partitioning factor (PF) was higher in Z. nummularia and its CFB. Substrate digestibility (both DM and OM) was lower (P < 0.001) in Z. nummularia compared to other forages and CFBs. The fermentation metabolites showed a different pattern for forages and their CFBs. The forages showed higher TCA precipitable N and lower acetate: propionate ratio in Z. nummularia while the related trend was found in CFB with V. sinensis. Total volatile fatty acid concentration was higher (P < 0.001) in A. nilotica leaves than V. sinensis hay and Z. nummularia leaves. It has implication on widening the forage resources and providing opportunity to use forage biomass rich in polyphenolic constituents in judicious proportion for reducing methane and enhancing green livestock production. Conclusion: Above all, higher substrate degradability, propionate production, lower methanogenesis in CFB with A. nilotica leaves may be considered useful. Nevertheless, CFB with Z. nummularia also proved its usefulness with higher TCA precipitable N and PF. It has implication on widening the forage resources and providing opportunity to use polyphenol-rich forage biomass for reducing methane and enhancing green livestock production.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.181-188
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• 2006

The objective of this research was to determine the effects of synchronizing the rate of dietary energy and nitrogen release on: ruminal fermentation, microbial protein synthesis, blood urea nitrogen, and nutrient digestibility in beef cattle. Four, two-and-a-half year old Brahman-Thai native crossbred steers were selected for the project. Each steer was fitted with a rumen cannula and proximal duodenal cannula. The steers were then randomly assigned in a $4{\times}4$ Latin square design to receive four dietary treatments. Prior to formulation of the dietary treatments, feed ingredients were analyzed for chemical composition and a nylon bag technique was used to analyze the treatments various ingredients for degradability. The treatments were organized in four levels of a synchrony index (0.39, 0.50, 0.62 and 0.74). The results showed that dry matter digestibility trend to be increased (p<0.06), organic matter and acid detergent fiber digestibility increased linearly (p<0.05), while crude protein and neutral detergent fiber digestibility were not significantly different (p>0.05). Higher concentration and fluctuation of ruminal ammonia and blood urea were observed in the animal that received the lower synchrony index diets. As the levels of the synchrony index increased, the concentrations of ruminal ammonia nitrogen and blood urea nitrogen, at the 4 h post feeding, decreased linearly (p<0.05). Total volatile fatty acid and bacteria populations at the 4 h post feeding increased linearly (p<0.05). Microbial protein synthesis trend to be increase (p<0.08). The results of this research indicate that synchronizing the rate of degradation of dietary energy and nitrogen release improves ruminal fermentation, microbial protein synthesis and feed utilization.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.29 no.9
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• pp.1273-1279
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• 2016

The objectives of this study were to determine an optimal cultivation time for populations of yeast and lactic acid bacteria (LAB) co-cultured in fermented milk and effects of soybean meal fermented milk (SBMFM) supplementation on rumen degradability in beef cattle using nylon bag technique. The study on an optimal cultivation time for yeast and LAB growth in fermented milk was determined at 0, 4, 8, 24, 48, 72, and 96 h post-cultivation. After fermenting for 4 days, an optimal cultivation time of yeast and LAB in fermented milk was selected and used for making the SBMFM product to study nylon bag technique. Two ruminal fistulated beef cattle ($410{\pm}10kg$) were used to study on the effect of SBMFM supplementation (0%, 3%, and 5% of total concentrate substrate) on rumen degradability using in situ method at incubation times of 0, 2, 4, 6, 12, 24, 48, and 72 h according to a Completely randomized design. The results revealed that the highest yeast and LAB population culture in fermented milk was found at 72 h-post cultivation. From in situ study, the soluble fractions at time zero (a), potential degradability (a+b) and effective degradability of dry matter (EDDM) linearly (p<0.01) increased with the increasing supplemental levels and the highest was in the 5% SBMFM supplemented group. However, there was no effect of SBMFM supplement on insoluble degradability fractions (b) and rate of degradation (c). In conclusion, the optimal fermented time for fermented milk with yeast and LAB was at 72 h-post cultivation and supplementation of SBMFM at 5% of total concentrate substrate could improve rumen degradability of beef cattle. However, further research on effect of SBMFM on rumen ecology and production performance in meat and milk should be conducted using in vivo both digestion and feeding trials.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.25 no.11
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• pp.1568-1574
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• 2012

Three Holstein steers in the growing phase, each with a ruminal cannula, were used to test the hypothesis that the synchronization of the hourly rate of carbohydrate and nitrogen (N) released in the rumen would increase the amount of retained nitrogen for growth and thus improve the efficiency of microbial protein synthesis (EMPS). In Experiment 1, in situ degradability coefficients of carbohydrate and N in feeds including Korean rice wine residue (RWR) were determined. In Experiment 2, three total mixed ration (TMR) diets having different rates of carbohydrate and N release in the rumen were formulated using the in situ degradability of the feeds. All diets were made to contain similar contents of crude protein (CP) and neutral detergent fiber (NDF) but varied in their hourly pattern of nutrient release. The synchrony index of the three TMRs was 0.51 (LS), 0.77 (MS) and 0.95 (HS), respectively. The diets were fed at a restricted level (2% of the animal's body weight) in a $3{\times}3$ Latin-square design. Synchronizing the hourly supply of energy and N in the rumen did not significantly alter the digestibility of dry matter, organic matter, crude protein, NDF or acid detergent fiber (ADF) (p>0.05). The ruminal $NH_3$-N content of the LS group at three hours after feeding was significantly higher (p<0.05) than that of the other groups; however, the mean values of ruminal $NH_3$-N, pH and VFA concentration among the three groups were not significantly different (p>0.05). In addition, the purine derivative (PD) excretion in urine and microbial-N production (MN) among the three groups were not significantly different (p>0.05). In conclusion, synchronizing dietary energy and N supply to the rumen did not have a major effect on nutrient digestion or microbial protein synthesis (MPS) in Holstein steers.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.30 no.11
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• pp.1575-1589
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• 2017

Objective: This study was conducted to determine molecular structures related to carbohydrates and lipid in alfalfa hay cut at early bud, late bud and early flower and in the afternoon and next morning using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT/IR) and to determine their relationship with alfalfa hay nutrient profile and availability in ruminants. Methods: Chemical composition analysis, carbohydrate fractionation, in situ ruminal degradability, and DVE/OEB model were used to measure nutrient profile and availability of alfalfa hay. Univariate analysis, hierarchical cluster analysis (CLA) and principal components analysis (PCA) were conducted to identify FT/IR spectra differences. Results: The FT/IR non-structural carbohydrate (NSCHO) to total carbohydrates and NSCHO to structural carbohydrate ratios decreased (p<0.05), while lignin to NSCHO and lipid CH3 symmetric to CH2 symmetric ratios increased with advancing maturity (p<0.05). The FT/IR spectra related to structural carbohydrates, lignin and lipids were distinguished for alfalfa hay at three maturities by PCA and CLA, while FT/IR molecular structures related to carbohydrates and lipids were similar between alfalfa hay cut in the morning and afternoon when analyzed by PCA and CLA analysis. Positive correlations were found for FT/IR NSCHO to total carbohydrate and NSCHO to structural carbohydrate ratios with non-fiber carbohydrate (by wet chemistry), ruminal fast and intermediately degradable carbohydrate fractions and total ruminal degradability of carbohydrates and predicted intestinal nutrient availability in dairy cows ($r{\geq}0.60$; p<0.05) whereas FT/IR lignin to NSCHO and CH3 to CH2 symmetric stretching ratio had negative correlation with predicted ruminal and intestinal nutrient availability of alfalfa hay in dairy cows ($r{\geq}-0.60$; p<0.05). Conclusion: FT/IR carbohydrate and lipid molecular structures in alfalfa hay changed with advancing maturity from early bud to early flower, but not during the day, and these molecular structures correlated with predicted nutrient supply of alfalfa hay in ruminants.