Digestibility Of Feed Components Research Articles

Effects of Replacing Maize with <i>Dioscarea bulbifera</i> Flour on Growth Performance of Broiler Chickens

The present study was designed to evaluate Dioscarea bulbifera flour as potential feed ingredient in broilers diets. For this purpose, 256-day-old Cobb 500 broiler chicks, were divided into 4 groups replicated 4 times in a completely randomized design. A control ration (R0) containing maize as the main energy source was compared to three other rations in which 50%, 75% and 100% maize were substituted with Dioscarea bulbifera flour. The main results showed that, the increasing rate of Dioscarea bulbifera flour had no significant (p > 0.05) effect on the digestibility of feed components. Feed intake was higher with 50% and 75% Dioscarea bulbifera flour inclusion levels. As compared to the control ration, a significant (p Dioscarea bulbifera flour in the ration. Dioscarea bulbifera flour induced a linear and significant (p Dioscarea bulbifera flour could be a sustainable solution to palliate the growing inflation of maize as animal feed ingredient. However, the incorporation level of Dioscarea bulbifera as feed ingredient in substitution of maize must not exceed 50% at the risk of depreciating growth performance of broilers.

Effects of crude cowpea (Vigna unculata) meal supplemented with enzyme on nutrient digestibility and growth performance of broiler chickens

This study was designed to assess the digestibility of feed components and the growth performances of broilers fed on raw Cowpea based diet supplemented with fibrolytic enzyme (Naturzyme®). A control ration without Cowpea and enzyme was compared to six others rations in which raw cowpea was incorporated at 15 and 25% and supplemented with 350 and 500g enzyme/ton of feed. The experimental rations were randomly assigned to 252 twenty-one-day old Cobb500 broiler chickens in a 2x2 factorial design (two level of enzyme and two level of cowpea). At 49 days old, faeces were collected over a period of 3 days to assess the digestibility of feed components. The main results showed that the increasing rate of raw cowpea in the rations induced a linear decrease (p<0.05) in feed intake. The inclusion of 25% of cowpea in the ration irrespective of the rate of incorporation of the enzyme tends to increase the digestibility of feed component as compared to the control. Growth parameters of broilers inversely decrease with the incorporation rate of raw cowpea in the ration. The highest carcass yield (p<0.05) was recorded with 15% raw cowpea supplemented with 500g of enzyme per ton of feed. The relative weight of the gizzard increased significantly (p<0.05) with the increasing incorporation rate of raw cowpea in the diet with or without enzyme supplements. In conclusion, raw cowpea supplemented with enzyme did not substantially improve the growth performance of broilers. Other processing methods like boiled or fermented should be considered for better utilization of cowpea in broilers diet.

An increase in dietary lipid content from different forms of double-low rapeseed reduces enteric methane emission in Datong yaks on the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau.

Enteric methane (CH4 ) emission in cattle generally decreases by approximately 1g/g dry matter intake (DMI) with an increase in dietary lipids of 10g/kg dry matter (DM). The effect of dietary lipids on CH4 emission in yaks has not been reported and is the subject of this study. Four Datong yaks were used in a 4×4 Latin-square design in which the four treatments included restricted intakes of double-low rapeseed differing in form and lipid (ether extract-EE) content: (a) rapeseed meal (EE 32.6g/kg DM); (b) rapeseed meal and rapeseed cake (EE 45.8g/kg DM); (c) rapeseed meal and whole cracked rapeseed (EE 54.5g/kg DM) and (d) rapeseed meal and rapeseed oil (EE 62.7g/kg DM). The digestibility of feed components did not differ among treatments. The ruminal total volatile fatty acids (p=.082) and acetic acid (p=.062) concentrations tended to be lowest in yaks consuming the diet with highest lipid content. In addition, CH4 production was lowest in this group (p=.004), and declined by 1.75g/g DMI per 10g/kg DM reduction in dietary lipid content, a rate substantially faster than in cattle.

Nanotechnologies in agricultural engineering: practice and prospects

The use of powdered concentrates increases the digestibility of feed components by the animal body. The biological activity of organic products increases due to the intensification of the process of useful substances extraction from them. The scientific basis for the formation of nanotechnologies is system effects, as well as features of physical, mechanical and biochemical phenomena that occur in powdered materials at the atomic and molecular levels and provide a synergistic effect. Using modern analytical tools in the field of nanoparticle research, a method for conducting search experiments has been developed, which provides for the possibility of studying the transformations occurring in the deep layers of substances and trace elements. Fine fractions participate in the formation of the structure of the final product, act as its leavening agents and sweeteners, as well as absorbers of excess moisture contained in raw materials. Hypersonic grinding using quantum aerogravity technology has shown the applicability, scientific and technical significance and prospects of this direction in the development of the powder industry.

Effects of lactic acid bacteria and urea treatment on fermentation quality, digestibility and ruminal fermentation of roll bale rice straw silage in wethers

AbstractThe digestibility, nitrogen retention and ruminal fermentation of dry rice straw (DRS), untreated rice straw silage (NRS), lactic acid bacteria (LAB) treated rice straw silage (LRS) and urea treated rice straw silage (URS) were compared in a feeding trial with wethers supplemented with concentrate. Both NRS and LRS provided good fermentation quality although the lactic acid content in LRS was higher than in NRS (P &lt; 0.05). The digestibility of the feed component did not differ among DRS, NRS and LRS treatments; however, the digestibility of crude protein (CP), acid detergent fiber (ADFom), neutral detergent fiber (NDFom) and energy increased in the URS treatment (P &lt; 0.05). With the increase in digestibility, the nutritive values of digestible crude protein (DCP) and digestible energy (DE) also increased in URS treatment (P &lt; 0.05). The high urinary excretion of nitrogen (N) with URS treatment did not influence its improved N retention compared with the other treatments (P &lt; 0.05). The higher ruminal total volatile fatty acid (VFA) and ratio of acetate to propionate (A:P) in ruminal fluid of wethers following URS treatment (P &lt; 0.05) indicated that the urea treatment resulted in effective ruminal fermentation. These results show that although LAB treatment can improve fermentation quality, it had no effect on the digestibility of feed components. Urea was an effective treatment for improving digestibility, N retention and ruminal fermentation.

Effect of suplemental nitrogen source and feeding frequency on nutrient supply to lambs fed a kikuyu grass ( Pennisetum clandestinum) hay-based diet

Eight castrated male lambs (35 ± 4 kg live weight), fed a basal diet of kikuyu grass hay, were used in a replicated 4 × 4 Latin Square experiment with a 2 × 2 factorial arrangement of treatments to evaluate the effect of supplemental feeding frequency and source of rumen degradable N on intake, digestibility, ruminal fermentation, and microbial protein yield. Treatments were supplementation with cassava meal plus calcium caseinate or cassava meal plus urea offered at a rate of 7 g/kg live weight daily in one or two meals per day. Lambs were fed twice daily in such manner to allow ad libitum comsumption of forage. There was significant feeding frequency by N source interaction on variables of intake. In general, intake of feed components was higher ( P ≤ 0.05) by lambs offered the caseinate-supplement twice daily over intake observed in lambs given the others diet treatments. Digestibility of feed components was neither affected by supplemental N source (DM, P = 0.541; OM, P = 0.585; NDF, P = 0.828) nor by feeding frequency (DM, P = 0.122; OM, P = 0.175; NDF, P = 0.591). Urinary excretion of N increased ( P ≤ 0.05) in lambs supplemented twice daily whereas N retention was similar for all treatments (N source, P = 0.748; feeding frequency, P = 0.418). Microbial protein entering into the small intestine was affected by the interaction between feeding frequency and N source such as an increasing ( P < 0.10) in this variable was observed when lambs received the caseinate but not the urea supplement twice daily. Efficiency of microbial protein synthesis, however, was not affected by treatments (N source, P = 0.588; feeding frequency, P = 0.334). Rumen pH averaged 6.70 and it was neither affected by N source ( P = 0.827) nor by feeding frequency ( P = 0.740). Ruminal concentration of ammonia N was not affected by feeding frequency ( P = 0.144) while it increased ( P < 0.05) when urea rather than caseinate was the supplemental N source (mean of 7.61 mg/dl vs. 6.00 mg/dl). Concentration of sugars in rumen fluid was higher ( P ≤ 0.05) in lambs supplemented once a day compared to twice daily (mean of 49.4 mg/dl vs. 34.4 mg/dl) for both N sources. A significant ( P ≤ 0.05) N source by feeding frequency interaction effect was observed for ruminal concentrations of α-amino N compounds. In urea treatment α-amino N concentration increased ( P ≤ 0.05) in lambs receiving the supplement twice daily compared to once a day (mean of 4.59 mg/dl vs. 3.70 mg/dl) while in caseinate treatment it was higher ( P ≤ 0.05) in lambs offered the supplement in one meal per day compared to twice daily (mean of 5.29 mg/dl vs. 4.07 mg/dl). In conclusion, for ruminants fed a tropical grass-based diet, starch-rich supplement containing non-protein N as N source may be offered only once a day whereas the supply of nutrients may be improved if degradable true protein is included as N source and supplement is offered in two meals per day.

Performance of sheep offered ammonia, or urea‐calcium hydroxide treated rice straw as an only feed

ABSTRACTThe effect of ammonia (AS) and urea‐calcium hydroxide (US) treated rice straw as a sole diet on the voluntary intake, digestibility of feed components, nitrogen retention, rumen parameters and microbial nitrogen yield of Suffolk ewes, were compared in a double 2 × 2 latin square design. The digestibility of feed components was not differed in sheep offered either AS or US. Dry matter intake was higher in AS (28 g/kg BW0.75) than US (22 g/kg BW0.75). Although there was high nitrogen intake in sheep given AS diet, this did not result in higher nitrogen retention compared with US diet. No difference was observed in purine derivatives or microbial nitrogen supply between the two groups. The rumen ammonia‐N of sheep offered AS or US exhibited a similar trend in diurnal change with the peak at 1.5–2.5 h after feeding and decline gradually thereafter. However, volatile fatty acid production peaked at approximately 8 h after evening feed and then steadily declined. AS and US diets led sheep to lose weight. In conclusion, urea‐calcium hydroxide treated straw can be used for sheep as an alternative to ammonia treated straw. Without supplementation, ammonia or urea‐calcium hydroxide treated straw was not sufficient even for the maintenance of sheep.

Effect of the substitution of urea for soybean meal on digestion in steers

Four growing Holstein steers (305 ± 33 kg body weight) with ruminal and duodenal cannulae were used in a 4 × 4 Latin square experiment to assess the effect of level of dietary urea (0, 7.3, 14.7 and 22.0 g kg−1 of dry matter) on the site and extent of digestion of some feed components. The diets were isonitrogenous and consisted of 60% ryegrass hay and 40% concentrate and were offered to the animals three times daily in amounts limited to 24 g of dry matter kg−1 liveweight in order to avoid feed refusals. The addition of urea caused a linear increase in ruminal pH and in ruminal ammonia concentration during the first hours after feed ingestion (P &lt; 0.01), and linearly increased ruminal digestibility of cellulose (P &lt; 0.01) and apparent nitrogen (P &lt; 0.05). However, it had no significant effect on apparent total digestibility of feed components, nor did it affect ruminal digestibility of dry matter, organic matter or starch. Flow of microbial nitrogen to the small intestine decreased linearly (P &lt; 0.05), but the efficiency of microbial protein synthesis or the proportion of undegraded feed nitrogen in the rumen that flowed to the small intestine was not significantly affected (P &gt; 0.05). The increase in ruminal ammonia concentration above that necessary for optimal microbial growth increased ruminal nitrogen losses into the blood. However, excess ruminal ammonia concentration also increased ruminal fibre digestion. Key words: Non-protein nitrogen, microbial protein synthesis, ruminants, digestion

The Effect Of Forage Maize Hybrid Type On Site Of Digestion In Sheep

The introduction of new forage maize hybrids has provided feed raw materials with a range of nutritional characteristics. The objective of this experiment was to investigate the impact of feeding different hybrids of forage maize on the overall digestibility of feed components and rumen degradability of starch in sheep.Four forage maize hybrids from different sites within the UK[NANCIS(A) and EMA(B)] and France[Hybrid 6196 High Oil (C) and Volgata Waxy(D)] were ensiled in sealed drums with no additives. The resultant silages were used as the basis for a digestibility trial using four fistulated Suffolk X wethers in a 4 X 4 factorial design. Sheep were fed twice daily with total intake of 900 g DM of silage plus 150g Soya Bean Meal. After an adaptation period (21d) a 5 day total collection of faeces was carried out followed by a rumen degradability study.

Investigations on the use of the mobile bag technique in ponies

The mobile bag technique has been employed to study the small intestinal digestibility of feed components in ruminants and total tract digestibility values in pigs. This study reports some preliminary investigations on the use of mobile bags to estimate both total and partial tract digestibility values in ponies.Four caecally fistulated Welsh cross pony geldings (approx LW 250 kg) were offered ad libitum grass hay (DM: 918, CP: 73, NDF: 716) plus 30 g/h/d of a horse mineral supplement. Mobile bags were prepared from monofilament polyester mesh with a pore size of 41 um using a commercial heat sealer and were used to estimate the feed constituent digestibility of a commercial horse concentrate (DM: 918, CP: 151, NDF: 403) in both the total tract and post-ileal segments of the ponies digestive tract.

Feed management and reduction of aquaculture wastes

Proper feed management is based on precise prediction of fish growth and good knowledge of the dynamics in the relationship between feeding (SFR), growth (SGR) and feed conversion (FCR). Recent research at Laxforsen indicates that there is a relationship between SFR, SGR and FCR at any water temperature, fish size and at any level of digestible energy in the feed. The investigation clearly shows that there is a target area rather than a point for optimum feeding. Optimized local feed management together with further development of fish feed in terms of increased digestibility of feed components will lead to greater profitability to the farmer and also minimize aquaculture wastes.

Comparison of Antibiotics for Dairy Calves on Two Levels of Milk Feeding

Growth studies were conducted with 96 Holstein calves to determine the effects of chlortetracycline, streptomycin, and a mixture of bacitracin and penicillin at three levels for two periods, and the effects of two levels of milk feeding. The antibiotics tended to increase the performance of the calves with greater effects on the calves fed the low milk ration. The mixture of bacitracin and penicillin was net as effective as the chlortetracycline and streptomycin except in controlling diarrhea. Calves fed 350 lb. of milk grew faster for the first seven weeks than those fed 175 lb., but the antibiotics minimized this by increasing the performance of the low-milk group. The antibiotics may have a milk-sparing effect. Editor. The early reports of Loosli and Wallace (11), Bartley et al. (2), and Rusoff (15) stimulated considerable research on the value of antibiotics in the nutrition and upon the health of the dairy calf, and this has been reviewed by Knodt (9), Reid et al. (14), and Lassiter (10). However, several papers pertinent to this study have appeared since these reviews. Swanson et al. (19) fed calves a liberal ration of milk and grain during early life and demonstrated no consistent increase in growth rate when cblortetracycline was added to the diet. The mean growth rates, however, were slightly in favor of the supplemented group. Bartley et al. (3) compared chlortetracycline with streptomycin and found streptomycin increased daily gain and feed efficiency and decreased scours somewhat, when compared with the control calves, but ~vas not as effective as chlortetracycline in regard to any of these criteria. Both 30 and 90 rag. per 100 lb. body wt. per day of streptomycin were fed, whereas only the 30-rag. level of chlortetracycline was used. No differences were noted between the two streptomycin levels. Research regarding the possibilities of antibiotics acting on calves through changes in digestibility of feed components is conflicting and incomplete. Bartley's results (4) did not indicate a consistent improvement in digestibility of any of the feed components by addi~lg chlortetracycliue to the ratioll of dairy calves at either nine or 13 weeks of age. Hogue et al. (8), however, have obtained improvement in protein digestibility and nitrogen retention when chlortetraeycline was added to the ration of calves. The same type of responses was obtained when bacitracin was used, but these responses were not as great as those observed with chlortetracyclinc. Radisson st al. (12, 13) have indicated that the effect of antibiotics may be through alteration of the intestinal flora of the dairy calf. MATERIALS AND METHODS