ABSTRACT
This study aims to investigate the effect of neem leaf supplementation on the feed intake, digestibility, performance, fermentation characteristics, and ruminal microbes in goats. We included 24 Anglo-Nubian Thai native male goats with a body weight of 20 ± 2.0 kg, using 2 × 2 factorial in a completely randomized design for the following four treatments: (1) control, (2) control + 15% PEG in the concentrate, (3) 6% NL in concentrate, and (4) 6% NL + 15% PEG in concentrate. The results show that supplementation with 6% NL + 15% PEG in the concentrate had a higher (p < 0.05) feed intake gDM/d, % BW, g/kgBW0.75, nutrient intake, nutrient digestion, weight change, and ADG than did the goats that were fed with 0% NL + 0% PEG, 0% NL + 15% PEG, and 6% NL + 0% PEG in concentrate, respectively. The feeding with 6% NL + 15% PEG had a higher (p < 0.05) level of propionic acid at 2 and 4 h post feeding compared to the other treatments. Supplementation with 6% NL + 15% PEG in the concentrate had the lowest (p < 0.05) methanogen, protozoa, blood urea nitrogen, ammonia nitrogen, acetic acid, and butyric acid, as well as a lower ratio of acetic acid to propionic acid at 2 and 4 h post feeding than the other treatments. However, supplementation with 6% NL + 15% PEG in concentrate had the highest values of Butyrivibrio fibrisolvens and Streptococcus gallolyticus at 2 and 4 h post feeding compared to the other treatments (p < 0.05). Collectively, this study indicates that neem leaf supplements can increase growth performance and propionic acid and can modulate the abundance of Butyrivibrio fibrisolvens and Streptococcus gallolyticus. Thus, neem leaf could potentially be a good supplement for goat feed.
ABSTRACT
The goal of this study was to improve the nutritional value of cassava peel by using yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) or effective microorganisms (EM), then use it as a replacement for concentrate, and examine the effects on the feed intake, feed digestibility, rumen fermentation, and growth performance of goats. The experimental design was a randomized complete block design (RCBD), and the dietary treatments were (1) concentrate, (2) replacement of the concentrate by yeast-fermented cassava peel (YFCP) at 50% and (3) replacement of the concentrate by EM-fermented cassava peel (EMFCP) at 50%. Twelve goats were given concentrate based on their treatments at a rate of 1.5% of their body weight. Rice straw was used as roughage and fed freely. It was found that the crude protein (CP) content of the cassava peel from 2.1% to 13.7-13.8% after 14 days of fermentation. Moreover, there were no significant differences between the treatments in terms of the feed intake, feed digestibility, ruminal pH, blood urea nitrogen concentration, volatile fatty acid profile, overall average daily gain, and feed efficiency. However, the cost of the feed per gain decreased when the YFCP or EMFCP was used instead of the concentrate. Based on the results of this experiment, it was possible to conclude that yeast or EM might be utilized as microorganisms to increase the nutritional value of cassava peel. Moreover, YFCP or EMFCP can replace concentrate by up to 50% without an impact on the feed intake, feed digestibility, rumen fermentation characteristics, and the growth performance; whereas, it can reduce the feed cost per gain up to 32%.
ABSTRACT
This experiment was conducted to determine the influence of Kasedbok (Neptunia javanica Miq.) on the feed utilization, rumen fermentation, and microbial population in Thai Native beef cattle. Four animals with a mean body weight of 295 ± 15 kg were randomly arranged in a 4 × 4 Latin square design. There were four treatments, utilizing 0, 80, 160, and 240 g/kg Kasedbok in concentrate. Local feed resources, including cassava chips, rice bran, palm kernel meal, and soybean meal, were utilized to formulate the concentrate diets, which contained between 11.8 and 12.0% crude protein (CP). The trial was conducted for four periods of three weeks each. The first two weeks consisted of an adaptation period, while the final week was a sampling period. The findings of the current study reveal that feed intake, dry matter (DM), organic matter (OM), neutral detergent fiber (NDF), and acid detergent fiber (ADF) digestibility were similar between treatments. In addition, there was no effect of Kasedbok levels on rumen pH, blood urea nitrogen (BUN) concentration, or volatile fatty acid. However, increasing the inclusion level of Kasedbok linearly decreased CP digestibility and ammonia nitrogen (NH3-N) concentration (p = 0.04). In contrast, the population of fungal zoospores improved significantly (p = 0.03), while the bacterial and protozoal counts remained unchanged (p > 0.05). Furthermore, when the level of Kasedbok was increased from 0 to 80, 160, and 240 g/kg DM, the cost of concentrate decreased by 4.1, 7.8, and 10.6 USD/100 kg DM, respectively. The results of this experiment suggest that utilizing 240 g/kg of Kasedbok in a concentrated mixture will not affect feed utilization, rumen fermentation, improve microbial population, and reduce feed cost in Thai native beef cattle.
ABSTRACT
The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of Terminalia chebula meal (TCM) supplementation on digestibility, rumen fermentation, nitrogen utilization, and protozoal population in goats. Eight goats with an initial body weight (BW) of 13 ± 3.0 kg were randomly assigned according to a double 4 × 4 Latin square design to receive different levels of TCM supplementation at 0, 8, 16, and 24 g/kg of total dry matter (DM) intake, respectively. The goats were fed with concentrate diets at 13 g/kg BW, while rice straw was used as a roughage source, fed ad libitum. The results revealed that the feed intake and the apparent digestibility of DM, organic matter (OM), neutral detergent fiber (NDF), and acid detergent fiber (ADF) were similar among the treatments (p > 0.05). However, crude protein (CP) digestibility decreased significantly (p < 0.05) when supplemented with TCM at 24 g/kg of total DM intake (p < 0.05). The addition of TCM did not change the ruminal pH and blood urea nitrogen concentrations (p > 0.05), whereas the concentration of NH3-N at 4 h post feeding was reduced with the inclusion of TCM at 16 and 24 g/kg of total DM intake. The total numbers of bacteria were enhanced by the addition of TCM, while the protozoal population, in both entodiniomorph and holotrich, was reduced (p < 0.05). The supplementation of TCM did not change the concentration of total volatile fatty acids (TVFA), acetic acid, or butyric acid, while the propionic acid concentration at 4-h post feeding increased significantly, especially when supplemented at 16 g/kg of total DM intake (p < 0.05. In addition, urinary nitrogen (N) excretion decreased, while fecal N excretion, N absorption, N retention, and the proportion of N retention to N intake increased with the inclusion of TCM at all levels. In summary, the inclusion of TCM could improve rumen fermentation efficiency and N balance without having an adverse effect on feed intake, nutrient digestibility, and rumen ecology; however, the protozoal population decreased. Therefore, this study suggests that TCM (16 g/kg of total DM intake) could be used as a plant source for rumen enhancement in goats fed a diet based on rice straw without having an adverse effect on feed intake or nutrient digestion. However, further studies on the production of types of meat and milk that have a long-term feeding trial should be carried out.
