• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.15 no.9
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• pp.1307-1311
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• 2002

Twelve dietary combinations were prepared using 70 parts of fermented wheat straw (FWS) as the sole roughage supplemented with 30 parts of either the low protein concentrate mixture (Conc.-I), high protein concentrate mixture (conc.-II), maize grains (M), solvent extracted mustard cake (DMC), deoiled rice bran (DRB), uromol bran mixture (UBM), deep stacked poultry litter (DSPL), dried poultry droppings (DPD), M-DMC mixture (50:50), M-UBM mixture (50:50), M-DPD mixture (50:50) or M-UBM-DPD mixture (50:25:25) and evaluated by in-sacco technique. The above dietary combinations were also evaluated by changing the roughage to concentrate ratio to 60:40. The digestion kinetics for DM and CP revealed that FWS:DPD had the highest, whereas, the FWS:M-DMC had the lowest rapidly soluble fraction. The potentially degradable fraction was found to be maximum in FWS:M and minimum in FWS:DPD dietary combinations. The higher degradation rate of FWS:DRB and FWS:UBM combinations was responsible for their significantly (p<0.05) higher effective degradability as compared to other combinations. The highest undegradable fraction noted in FWS:M-UBM-DPD followed by FWS:DMC was responsible for high rumen fill values. The FWS:DRB, FWS:UBM and FWS:DPD combinations had higher potential for DM intake. The dietary combination with higher concentrate level (60:40) was responsible for higher potentially degradable fraction, which was degraded at a faster rate resulting in significantly higher effective degradability as compared to the corresponding dietary combination with low concentrate level (70:30). The low undegradable fraction in the high concentrate diet was responsible for low rumen fill values, which predicted of high potential for DM intake. Out of 24 dietary combinations, FWS with either of UBM, DRB, DMC, Maize, M-DMC or DPD in 70:30 ratio supplemented with minerals and vitamin A in comparison to conventional feeding practice (roughage and concentrate mixture) could be exploited as complete feed for different categories of ruminants.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.15 no.12
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• pp.1732-1737
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• 2002

This study was conducted to examine the effect of Leucaena leucocephala-Morus alba-Azadirachta indica (2:1:1) based leaf meal mixture as nitrogen source to partially replace (50%) soybean meal in conventional supplements on the performance of goats. Twelve non-descript female goats were divided into two equal groups in a completely randomized design to receive either the leaf meal mixture based supplement (LMAM) or soybean meal incorporated concentrate (SBM) and wheat straw for ad libitum intake for a two month period. The goats given LMAM and SBM concentrate had similar dry matter intake ($50.2{\pm}1.67g/kg\;W^{0.75}$) and nutrient digestibility. Nitrogen intake and its faecal and urinary excretion were similar irrespective of diets. The balance of nitrogen was positive and comparable ($1.63{\pm}0.08g/d$) in both dietary treatments. The plane of nutrition on both diets was comparable and the digestible crude protein and total digestible nutrients values of the composite diets offered did not differ significantly between the dietary supplements. The serum concentration of enzymes alanine aminotransferase and aspartate aminotransferase were statistically similar in both the groups, while haemoglobin and serum urea levels were significantly (p<0.05) higher in LMAM and SBM treatments, respectively. It was concluded that the leaf meal mixture of Leucaena leucocephala-Morus alba-Azadirachta indica could be used as a vegetable protein supplement to wheat straw based diet of goats.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.26 no.4
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• pp.523-528
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• 2013

This study investigates the effects of three branched-chain amino acids (BCAA; valine, leucine, and isoleucine) on the in vitro ruminal fermentation of wheat straw using batch cultures of mixed ruminal microorganisms. BCAA were added to the buffered ruminal fluid at a concentration of 0, 2, 4, 7, or 10 mmol/L. After 72 h of anaerobic incubation, pH, volatile fatty acids (VFA), and ammonia nitrogen ($NH_3$-N) in the ruminal fluid were determined. Dry matter (DM) and neutral detergent fiber (NDF) degradability were calculated after determining the DM and NDF in the original material and in the residue after incubation. The addition of valine, leucine, or isoleucine increased the total VFA yields ($p{\leq}0.001$). However, the total VFA yields did not increase with the increase of BCAA supplement level. Total branched-chain VFA yields linearly increased as the supplemental amount of BCAA increased (p<0.001). The molar proportions of acetate and propionate decreased, whereas that of butyrate increased with the addition of valine and isoleucine (p<0.05). Moreover, the proportions of propionate and butyrate decreased (p<0.01) with the addition of leucine. Meanwhile, the molar proportions of isobutyrate were increased and linearly decreased (p<0.001) by valine and leucine, respectively. The addition of leucine or isoleucine resulted in a linear (p<0.001) increase in the molar proportions of isovalerate. The degradability of NDF achieved the maximum when valine or isoleucine was added at 2 mmol/L. The results suggest that low concentrations of BCAA (2 mmol/L) allow more efficient regulation of ruminal fermentation in vitro, as indicated by higher VFA yield and NDF degradability. Therefore, the optimum initial dose of BCAA for in vitro ruminal fermentation is 2 mmol/L.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.200-205
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• 2001

The effects of dietary supplementation with the sodium salt of isobutyric acid in a low protein (10% CP) wheat straw based diet on nutrient utilization, blood metabolites and growth performance were studied with male crossbred calves. The calves were divided into two equal groups of 6 each. The animals of the control group were fed a basal diet consisting of wheat straw, concentrate mixture and green oat fodder in 40:40:20 proportion whereas BCFA supplemented group received the basal diet+isobutyric acid at 0.75 percent of basal diet. The duration of study was 120 days. The feed intake between experimental groups did not differ significantly and the average total DMI (% BW) was 1.99 and $1.95kg\;day^{-1}$ in control and BCFA supplemented diets. The dietary supplementation of BCFA improved (p<0.01) the DM, OM, CP (p<0.05), NDF and cellulose digestibilities by 8.50, 9.01, 5.39, 17.78 and 18.44 per cent over those fed control diet. The total N retention on BCFA supplementation was improved (p<0.01) due to the decreased (p<0.05) faecal N excretion. The BCFA supplementation did not alter the blood circulatory levels of glucose, total protein, albumin, urea N and amino acids. However after 120 days of experimental feeding a significant (p<0.05) increase in the concentrations of non-esterified fatty acid was observed in control group. The DCP intake and the DCP content of experimental diets was similar in both groups. However, the TDN content of BCFA supplemented diet was significantly (p<0.01) higher (64.35%) than that of control (59.60%). The total live weight gain in BCFA supplemented diet increased by 15.94% over control. The average daily gain and efficiency of feed conversion were also improved in BCFA fed calves by 13.38 and 26.71% respectively, compared to control. It is concluded that dietary supplementation with isobutyric acid improved the digestibility of nutrients and growth performance of calves.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.13 no.7
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• pp.913-917
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• 2000

Sixteen adult Barbari bucks were divided into 4 homogeneous groups, each group was offered wheat straw (WS) at levels 75, 100, 125 and 150 per cent of ad libitum intake in a factorial randomized complete block design. All goats were uniformly fed a supplement ($13.5g\;DM/kg\;W^{0.75}$) to fulfill their requirement for protein at maintenance level. The experimental feeding of goats at different levels for 21 days was followed by a digestion trial of 6 days and determination of rate of passage of digesta for 144 h duration, respectively. Intake ($g/kg\;W^{0.75}$) of dry matter (DM), organic matter (OM), digestible DM and digestible OM increased with increase in amount of WS offered. The levels of WS refusals for obtaining upper limit of intake was found to be above 30% of DMO. Concentration of ADF and lignin was significantly lower and CP was higher (p>0.05) in food ingested relative to food offered or refused in response to increasing allowance of WS. Dietary means of particulate rate of passage from rumen, transit time and total mean retention time ranged from 0.032 to 0.036/h, 19.10 to 21.72/h and 58.61 to 61.53/h respectively and did not show significant differences (p>0.05) irrespective of dietary level of WS. The results suggest that DMI and quality of ingested WS would improve with higher rates of offer and refusals (${\geq}30%$ of DMO) without any pronounced effect on passage kinetics of digesta, because of the greater opportunity afforded to goats for selective feeding.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.491-496
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• 2004

Forty-five Najdi ram lambs were equally and randomly allotted to five dietary groups with three replications per diet to evaluate the effect of feeding olive cake in complete diet on nutrient digestibility, growth performance and carcass characteristics. The diets were: a whole-mixed control diet (C) containing 12% wheat straw and four diets; namely O, ON, OU and OUE, where crude olive cake, 3% NaOH-treated olive cake, 5% urea-treated olive cake (U) and ensiled U, respectively were incorporated to replace the wheat straw of C diet. The results showed that the digestibility of DM, CP, EE and NFE and TDN were higher (p<0.05) in OUE diet as compared to the control diet; there were no changes (p>0.05) in the corresponding values between O, ON and OU diets. The nutrient digestibilities, body weight gain, feed efficiency and Longissimus area were significantly (p<0.05) lower in ON diet as compared to other experimental diets. Average daily DM intake and weight gain were higher (p<0.05) in lambs fed O, OU and OUE diets than those fed C diet. The moisture and protein contents in the soft tissue from ON treatment were lower (p<0.05) than those tissues from C, O, OU and OUE treatments. In conclusion, these results indicated that crude olive cake is a better substitute of wheat straw when fed to growing lambs.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.44 no.4
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• pp.540-549
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• 2016

Plant residues serve as substrates for the proliferation and overwintering of plant pathogenic fungi in soil. Effects of the biocontrol fungus Trichoderma harzianum on the colonization of wheat straw by the plant pathogenic fungus Fusarium solani were investigated under different soil moisture regimes (-50 vs. -500 kPa) in non-sterile soil. T. harzianum ThzID1-M3 and/or F. solani were added along with wheat straw to non-sterile soils. ThzID1-M3, other Trichoderma species, and F. solani were monitored for a 21-day period using quantitative PCR. ThzID1-M3 reduced the colonization of F. solani on wheat straw (p < 0.05) under both moisture regimes, and F. solani reduced the colonization by ThzID1-M3 and other Trichoderma species (p < 0.05), thus suggesting competitive inhibition between ThzID1-M3 and F. solani. Colonization by ThzID1-M3 and generic Trichoderma was improved in the wet soil (p < 0.05), but colonization by F. solani did not differ between the two moisture conditions. Thus, the inhibitory effect of ThzID1-M3 was greater in the wet soil (p < 0.05). The growth competition between ThzID1-M3 and F. solani to colonize plant debris suggests that the biocontrol fungus T. harzianum may reduce the potential of the plant pathogen, F. solani, to survive and proliferate on crops.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.28 no.5
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• pp.639-646
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• 2015

The effects of Saccharomyces cerevisiae supplementation ($6.6{\times}10^8cfu$) and anhydrous ammonia treatment (3%) of wheat straw (WS) were investigated on in-situ dry matter (DM) degradability, and on rumen fermentation and growth performance of lambs. Rumen-fistulated Menemen sheep fed a diet with and without live yeast were used to assess the DM degradability characteristics of WS and ammonia-treated wheat straw ($WS_{NH3}$). Twenty-six yearling Menemen male lambs were fed in four groups. Lambs of control group (WS) received untreated WS without supplemental yeast, whereas other three groups were fed WS treated with anhydrous ammonia ($WS_{NH3}$ group), untreated WS and yeast (WS+YEAST group) or WS treated with anhydrous ammonia and yeast ($WS_{NH3}$+YEAST group). Supplemented live yeast (4 g/d) was added in the diet. Lambs were offered untreated or ammonia treated WS ad-libitum and concentrate was fed at 1% of live body weight. The degradability of the water-insoluble (fraction B) was significantly increased by all of the treatment groups. Potential degradability (A+B), effective DM degradability's (pe2, pe5, and pe8) and average daily weight gain increased only in $WS_{NH3}$+YEAST group (p<0.05). Voluntary DM intake was not increased by the treatments (p>0.05), but voluntary metabolizable energy and crude protein intake were increased by $WS_{NH3}$ and by $WS_{NH3}$+YEAST (p<0.05). Average daily rumen pH was not affected by any of the treatments, but average daily $NH_3$-N was significantly higher in the $WS_{NH3}$ and $WS_{NH3}$+YEAST groups, and total volatile fatty acids were significantly higher in the WS+YEAST and $WS_{NH3}$+YEAST groups. In conclusion, the improvement of feed value of WS was better by the combination of ammonia-treatment and yeast supplementation compared to either treatment alone.

• Korean Journal of Poultry Science
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.97-105
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• 1985

Fifteen 1-yr old roosters were employed in order to investigate the influence of various dietary fibers on the water and Na metabolism of chicken. Wheat bran, pure cellulose and ground rice straw replaced corn in the control diet at 10% level; Pectin replaced corn at 8% level. Three roosters were allotted per dietary treatment and one rooster per replicate. The limit of probability accepted as being significant was P$\leq$.05. The dry matter metabolizabilities of cellulose and rice straw diets were significantly lower, and those of control and pectin diets were significantly higher than that of the wheat bran diet. Pectin fed roosters seemed to drink more water than did the other birds. Also, excreta from roosters fed the pectin diet were significantly wetter than those from other treatments. However, no difference in water intake and fecal moisture were found when !he roosters were colostomized. It was also found that the colostomized birds drank more water than did intact ones. Data of water holding capacity and bulk density of dried excreta showed that cellulose, rice straw and wheat bran in decreasing order were strong in fibrous property. There were no significant differences in C$_{Na+}$ , Cosm and C$_{{H_2}O}$ among all treatments. When the values of urine volume, urine osmolality and C$_{{H_2}O}$ were put together, it can be concluded that 11 out of 15 roosters developed diuresis. More severe diuretic symptoms were developed in roosters when they were fed more fibrous diets. In conclusion, when the four dietary fibers were graded in terms of fibrous property, it turned out to be pectin, cellulose, rice straw and wheat bran in decreasing order.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.8 no.3
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• pp.289-293
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• 1995

The experiment was conducted to study the effect of supplementary urea molasses block lick with rice straw based diet on the performance of sheep. Six indigenous sheep of about two years of age with an average body weight of 12.88 kg, were selected for this experiment They grouped into two by stratified randomization, and the experiment was conducted for a period of 90 days. Sheep of group A was fed rice straw and group B was feed rice straw with urea molasses block lick, beside this both the groups received 66 g wheat bran and 167 g of Ipil-Ipil leaf meat. The study revealed that the average daily gain of live weight per sheep per day was 41 gm and 70 gm in group-A and group-B respectively. From the analysis of variance it was evident that live weight gain in sheep of group B, supplemented with urea molasses block lick was highly significant (p < 0.01). It was also estimated that group A required 8.12 kg DM to gain 1 kg live weight, whereas group B receiving urea molasses block lick required 5.30 kg DM to gain 1 kg live weight. Therefore, feeding rice straw with urea molasses block lick able to utilize more crop-residues efficiently.