• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.542-549
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• 2009

An in vitro study was conducted to determine the effect of nitrate-nitrogen used as a sole dietary nitrogen source on ruminal fermentation characteristics and microbial nitrogen (MN) synthesis. Three treatment diets were formulated with different nitrogen sources to contain 13% CP and termed i) nitrate-N diet (NND), ii) urea-N diet (UND), used as negative control, and iii) tryptone-N diet (TND), used as positive control. The results of 24-h incubations showed that nitrate-N disappeared to background concentrations and was not detectable in microbial cells. The NND treatment decreased net $CH_4$ production, but also decreased net $CO_2$ production and increased net $H_2$ production. Total VFA concentration was lower (p<0.05) for NND than TND. Suppression of $CO_2$ production and total VFA concentration may be linked to increased concentration of $H_2$. The MN synthesis was greater (p<0.001) for NND than UND or TND (5.74 vs. 3.31 or 3.34 mg/40 ml, respectively). Nitrate addition diminished methane production as expected, but also increased MN synthesis.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Near Infrared Spectroscopy Conference
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• 2001.06a
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• pp.1273-1273
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• 2001

The efficiency of the luminal fermentation process influences overall efficiency of luminal production, animal health and reproduction. Ruminant production systems have a significant impact on the global environment, as well. Animal wastes contribute to pollution of the environment as ammonia volatilized to the air and nitrate leached to ground water. Microbial protein synthesis in the rumen satisfies a large proportion of the protein requirements of animals. Quantifying the microbial synthesis is possible by using markers for lumen bacteria and protozoa such as nucleic acids, purine bases, some specific amino acids, or by isotopic $^{15}N,^{32}P,\;and\;^{35}S$ labelled feeds. All those methods require cannulated animals, they are time-consuming and some methods are very expensive as well. Many attempts have been made to find an alternative method for indirect measurement of microbial synthesis in intact animals. The present investigations aimed to assess possibilities of NIRS for prediction of purine nitrogen excretion and ruminal microbial nitrogen synthesis by NIR spectra of urine. Urine samples were collected from 12 growing sheep,6 of them male, and 6- female. The sheep were included in feeding experiment. The ration consisted of sorghum silage and protein supplements -70:30 on dry matter basis. The protein supplements were chosen to differ in protein degradability. The urine samples were collected daily in a vessel containing $60m{\ell}$ 10% sulphuric acid to reduce pH below 3 and diluted with tap water to 4 liters. Samples were stored in plastic bottles and frozen at $-20^{\circ}C$ until chemical and NIRS analysis. The urine samples were analyzed for purine derivates - allantoin, uric acid, xantine and hypoxantine content. Microbial nitrogen synthesis in the lumen was calculated according to Chen and Gomes, 1995. Transmittance urine spectra with sample thickness 1mm were obtained by NIR System 6500 spectrophotometer in the spectral range 1100-2500nm. The calibration was performed using ISI software and PLS regression, respectively. The following statistical results of NIRS calibration for prediction of purine derivatives and microbial protein synthesis were obtained.(Table Omitted). The result of estimation of purine nitrogen excretion and microbial protein synthesis by NIR spectra of urine showed accuracy, adequate for rapid evaluation of microbial protein synthesis for a large number of animals and different diets. The results indicate that the advantages of the NIRS technology can be extended into animal physiological studies. The fast and low cost NIRS analyses could be used with no significant loss of accuracy when microbial protein synthesis in the lumen and the microbial protein flow in the duodenum are to be assessed by NIRS.

• 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.18 no.3
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• pp.326-331
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• 2005

A rumen simulated continuous culture (RSCC) system was used to study the influence of supplementation of the three different types of protein sources such as urea, casein and soy protein on rumen microbial synthesis in terms of rumen microbial synchronization. The urea treatment showed the highest pH value. Ammonia nitrogen concentration was rapidly increased after feeding and not significantly different in the urea treatment (13.53 mg/100 ml). Protozoa numbers were not significantly different for soy protein and casein treatment compared to urea treatments during incubation. The average concentration of total VFA (mMol) was not detected with significant difference among treatments, but iso-butyrate production showed the highest for soy protein treatment among treatments (p<0.001). The lowest concentration in total iso-acids (iso-butyrate and iso-valerate) production was observed in urea treatment. The soy protein treatment showed no significantly change in acetate/propionate. The amounts of dry matter (DM) out flow showed no significant difference among treatments. Organic matter (OM) flow was the highest for urea treatments and the lowest for casein treatment (p<0.03). The nitrogen flow for casein treatment was not significantly different from other treatments. The efficiency of microbial protein synthesis in terms of microbial nitrogen (MN) synthesis (g MN/kg ADOM) digested in the rumen was highest for casein treatment (58.53 g MN/kg ADOM) compared to soy protein and urea (p<0.05). This result suggests that rumen ammonia releasing rate may influence on microbial protein synthesis in the rumen.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.26 no.12
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• pp.1689-1697
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• 2013

This study was designed to determine the effect of physical form and urea treatment of rice straw on rumen fermentation, microbial protein synthesis and nutrient digestibility. Four rumen-fistulated dairy steers were randomly assigned according to a 2 (2 factorial arrangement in a 4 (4 Latin square design to receive four dietary treatments. Factor A was roughage source: untreated rice straw (RS) and urea-treated (3%) rice straw (UTRS), and factor B was type of physical form of rice straw: long form rice straw (LFR) and chopped (4 cm) rice straw (CHR). The steers were offered the concentrate at 0.5% body weight (BW) /d and rice straw was fed ad libitum. DM intake and nutrient digestibility were increased (p<0.05) by urea treatment. Ruminal pH were decreased (p<0.05) in UTRS fed group, while ruminal ammonia nitrogen ($NH_3$-N) and blood urea nitrogen (BUN) were increased (p<0.01) by urea treatment. Total volatile fatty acid (VFA) concentrations increased (p<0.01) when steers were fed UTRS. Furthermore, VFA concentrations were not altered by treatments (p>0.05), except propionic acid (C3) was increased (p<0.05) in UTRS fed group. Nitrogen (N) balance was affected by urea treatment (p<0.05). Microbial protein synthesis (MCP) synthesis were greater by UTRS and CHR group (p<0.05). The efficiency of microbial N synthesis was greater for UTRS than for RS (p<0.05). From these results, it can be concluded that using the long form combined with urea treatment of rice straw improved feed intake, digestibility, rumen fermentation and efficiency of microbial N synthesis in crossbred dairy steers.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.15 no.7
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• pp.992-997
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• 2002

Two in vivo experiments were conducted to evaluate the effect of novel urease inhibitor hydroquinone (HQ) on ammonia release rate from urea hydrolysis, nitrogen balance, nutrient digestibility and efficiency of microbial protein synthesis. In Exp. 1, twelve crossbred cannulated lambs were randomly assigned within initial body weight block to one of four HQ treatments, which included 0 (control), 30, 60 or 80 mg HQ/kg DM intake. Ammonia concentration and pH of ruminal fluid were immediately measured at 0, 2, 4, 6 and 8 h after feeding. Increasing the dose of HQ tended (p<0.15) to linearly decrease NH3 formation. The ammonia peak concentration (2 h post-feeding) in animals receiving HQ was approximately one-half of that in animals not receiving HQ (p<0.01), and a relatively sustained ammonia release could be obtained at the dose of 30 or 60 mg HQ/kg DM. In Exp. 2, sixteen intact crossbred lambs (weight $40{\pm}0.8kg$) were used in a $2{\times}2$ factorial design experiment. The four rations consisting of soybean meal-based (SBM) or urea-based (Urea) nitrogen source with or without HQ (S1, S0, U1 and U0) were fed in digestion and N balance trials. Apparent digestibility of major nutrients except that of ADF was not affected by either nitrogen source or addition of HQ. Regardless of nitrogen source, supplementation of HQ significantly improved ADF digestibility (p<0.05). The various ration had no effects on N metabolism in the presence of HQ. There was significant difference between total purine derivatives (PD), estimated efficiency of microbial N synthesis (p<0.05) and urea-N excretion (p<0.01) in the urine for the SBM ration and for the Urea ration. However, HQ had little influence on efficiency of microbial N synthesis as proportion of daily intake of total tract digestible OM (p>0.05). No interactions between main nitrogen source and HQ were measured throughout the trial. Results of this study suggest that addition of HQ to ration may improve ADF digestion with having no negative effect on N metabolism and microbial protein production.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.29 no.10
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• pp.1416-1423
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• 2016

This study was designed to investigate the effect of grape pomace powder (GPP), mangosteen peel powder (MPP) and monensin on feed intake, nutrients digestibility, microorganisms, rumen fermentation characteristic, microbial protein synthesis and nitrogen balance in dairy steers. Four, rumen fistulated dairy steers with initial body weight (BW) of $220{\pm}15kg$ were randomly assigned according to a $4{\times}4$ Latin square design to receive four treatments. The treatments were as follows: T1 = control, T2 = supplementation with monensin at 33 mg/kg diet, T3 = supplementation with GPP at 2% of dry matter intake, and T4 = supplementation with MPP at 30 g/kg diet. The steers were offered the concentrate diet at 0.2% BW and 3% urea treated rice straw (UTRS) was fed ad libitum. It was found that GPP supplemented group had higher UTRS intake and nutrient digestibility in terms of neutral detergent fiber and acid detergent fiber than those in control group (p<0.05). Ammonia nitrogen ($NH_3-N$) and blood urea-nitrogen concentration were higher in monensin, GPP and MPP supplemented groups (p<0.05). Total volatile fatty acids and propionate in the GPP group were higher than those in the control group (p<0.05) while acetate concentration, and acetate to propionate ratio were decreased (p<0.01) when steers were supplemented with GPP, monensin, and MPP, respectively. Moreover, protozoal populations in GPP, MPP, and monensin supplementation were significantly lower than those in the control group (p<0.05), while cellulolytic bacterial population was significantly higher in the control group (p<0.05). Nitrogen retention, microbial crude protein and efficiency of microbial nitrogen synthesis were found significantly higher in steers that received GPP (p<0.05). Based on this study it could be concluded that the GPP has potential as an alternative feed supplement in concentrate diets which can result in improved rumen fermentation efficiency, digestibility and microbial protein synthesis in steers fed on treated rice straw.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.27 no.5
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• pp.658-666
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• 2014

This study aimed to evaluate urea excretion, nitrogen balance and microbial protein synthesis in lactating goats fed with diets containing different protein sources in the concentrate (soybean meal, cottonseed meal, aerial part of cassava hay and leucaena hay). Four Alpine goats whose mean body weight was $42.6{\pm}6.1kg$ at the beginning of the experiment, a mean lactation period of $94.0{\pm}9.0days$ and a production of $1.7{\pm}0.4kg$ of milk were distributed in a $4{\times}4$ Latin square with four periods of 15 days. Diets were formulated to be isonitrogenous, containing 103.0 g/kg of CP, 400 g/kg of Tifton 85 hay and 600 g/kg of concentrate. Diet containing cottonseed meal provided (p<0.05) increased excretion of urea and urea nitrogen in the urine (g/d and mg/kg of BW) when compared with leucaena hay. The diets affected the concentrations of urea nitrogen in plasma (p<0.05) and excretion of urea nitrogen in milk, being that soybean meal and cottonseed meal showed (p<0.05) higher than the average aerial part of the cassava hay. The use of diets with cottonseed meal as protein source in the concentrate in feeding of lactating goats provides greater nitrogen excretion in urine and negative nitrogen balance, while the concentrate with leucaena hay as a source of protein, provides greater ruminal microbial protein synthesis.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.13 no.4
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• pp.490-496
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• 2000

In vivo digestibility, nitrogen retention and microbial protein yield from diets of 100% ammonia treated rice straw (ARS) ($D_1$); 65% untreated rice straw (URS)+30% rice bran (RB)+5% SBM ($D_2$) and 85% ARS+15% RB ($D_3$) were determined using three Japanese Corriedale wethers in a $3{\times}3$ Latin Square Design. Results showed that DM consumption and organic matter digestibility were highest in $D_3$; but did not promote high protein digestibility, which RB+SBM had effected in URS based-diet. Dry matter intake and OM digestibility were the same for $D_1$ and $D_3$. Solubility of fiber bonds was increased by ammoniation, resulting in higher NDF digestibility. Nitrogen retention and microbial protein yield of rice bran supplemented groups was higher than ARS, but supplementation did not significantly increase efficiency of microbial protein synthesis from ARS which did occur when RB+SBM was added to untreated straw. The quality of ammoniated rice straw could be improved through RB supplementation because of its positive effects on DM digestibility, nitrogen retention and microbial protein yield. However, the addition of RB+SBM to URS resulted to more efficient N utilization.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.13 no.11
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• pp.1548-1553
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• 2000

An experiment was conducted to study the nutritional quality of whole crop corn silage ensiled with cage layer manure in sheep. Treatments were designed as a $3{\times}3$ Latin square with 16-day periods. Sheep were allotted in one of three diet-treatments, which were whole crop corn silage (CS), whole crop corn+30% cage layer manure (CLM) silage (based on DM; MS) and rice straw+concentrate (SC) mixed at 8:2 ratio (on DM basis). Silage ensiled with CLM significantly increased (p<0.05) digestibilities of crude protein, NDF and ADF, TDN over the other treatments. Ruminal pH in sheep fed SC was significantly (p<0.05) higher than that of the other diets at 0.5, 1, 2, 4 and 8 h after feeding. Ruminal ammonia nitrogen concentration of the MS treatment was significantly (p<0.05) higher than that of the other treatments at 0, 1, 2 h after feeding. The MS treatment highly increased (p<0.05) feed intake, digestibility of organic matter and crude protein, nitrogen intake and retained nitrogen. The MS treatment highly increased (p<0.05) purine derivative (PD) excretion leading to higher microbial protein synthesis.