In this study, two experiments were conducted to evaluate the total mixed ration with fermented feed (TMRF) and total mixed ration (TMR) by rumen in vitro fermentation and their effects on the growth performance and blood characteristics of Hanwoo steers. In experiment 1, three Hanwoo steers (600±47 kg), each permanently fitted with a ruminal cannula were used. In this experiment, three diets designated as T1, TMRF (18.4% fermented feed, tall fescue, mammoth wild rye forage and whole crop barley); T2, TMRF (17.7% fermented feed, rice straw and whole crop barley); and T3, TMR (rice straw, whole crop barley and probiotics, but no fermented feed), which were subjected to rumen in vitro fermentation for 48 h. The results demonstrated that DM disappearance rate gradually increased with advancing fermentation time, but T1 and T2 were higher than the T3 (p<0.05) from 3 h to 12 h, but insignificant (p>0.05) at 24 and 48 h. None of the specific VFAs were affected except for acetic and non volatile lactic acids, which were produced more in T2 than in T1 and T3 at 24 h and 48 h of incubation. A/P was lower in T1 and T2 than inT3 at 24 h (p<0.05) and 48 h (p>0.05) of incubation. These results confirmed that TMRF-related treatment shows a superior performance to that of TMR during the ruminal fermentation period. In experiment 2, the three diets in experiment 1 plus 1 more control diet (concentrates, probiotics and 2% rice straw of body weight) were fed to the 48 Hanwoo steers (160±10 kg) for a period of 168 d. The results demonstrated that the daily and total live weight gain and feed efficiency were higher (p<0.05) in the TMRF and TMR groups than in the control group. SGOT, SGPT and BUN (p<0.05) were reduced in TMRF relative to the control and TMR groups by 168 d which confirmed that TMRF shows better blood profiles than the TMR and control groups. Overall, these results appear to show that TMRF has better in vitro ruminal characteristics than those of TMR; growth performance and blood profiles were also found to be superior in TMRF than in the TMR and control groups. Thus, our findings suggest that TMRF-based feed supplies are favorable for Hanwoo cattle.

The present study was conducted to evaluate the effects of green tea by-product (GTB) and green tea plus probiotics (GT+P) on the growth performance, carcass characteristics, meat quality, blood parameters and immunity of growing–finishing pigs. In total, 80 crossbreed growing pigs were assigned to receive four dietary treatments for a period of 8 weeks. The dietary treatments were a basal diet (control), basal diet supplemented with 0.003% chlortetracycline (antibiotic), basal diet with 0.5% GTB (GTB) and basal diet containing 0.5% GT+P (GT+P). The results of our study indicated that bodyweight gain increased (P < 0.05) in response to the addition of GT+P to the basal diet. Crude protein and crude ash content, and shear values of loin meat were significantly (P < 0.05) increased in the GT+P group, although moisture and juiciness were decreased (P < 0.05). The GTB group had higher (P < 0.05) serum glucose concentrations, whereas the GT+P exhibited lower (P < 0.05) insulin concentrations. The values of thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances of fresh loin meat and meat that had been preserved for 1 week were lower (P < 0.05) in the GT+P group than those of the control and GTB groups. The growth of spleen cells incubated in concanavalin A (Con A) and lipopolysaccharide (LPS) medium was statistically higher (P < 0.05) for the GT+P group than for the GTB or antibiotic group. IL-6 and TNF-α production by spleen cells induced by Con A and LPS was increased in the GTB and GT+P group (P < 0.05) compared with the antibiotic group. Taken together, the results of the present study indicated that GT+P exerts positive effects on weight gain, meat composition, blood parameters and immunity in pigs, and could be used as an alternative to antibiotics for growing–finishing pig feeds.