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The capabilities of four white-rot fungi to improve the digestibility of sugarcane bagasse for ruminants were determined. Bagasse was cultured with Lentinula edodes, Pleurotus eryngii, Pleurotus salmoneostramineus, Ceriporiopsis subvermispora (ATCC 90467) or C. subvermispora (CZ-3) at 26°C for 8, 12 or 16 weeks. The in vitro organic matter digestibility (IVOMD) and in vitro neutral detergent fiber digestibility (IVNDFD) in untreated bagasse were 45.6 and 40.3%, respectively. Meanwhile, the bagasse cultured with L. edodes and two strains of C. subvermispora, respectively, for 12 weeks, were elevated to 68.6 and 59.1%, 60.6 and 49.9% and 59.9 and 49.0%, respectively. In contrast, the IVOMD and the IVNDFD in bagasse cultured with P. eryngii and P. salmoneostramineus were the same or lower than those in untreated bagasse. In vitro gas production (IVGP) in bagasse cultured with L. edodes and two strains of C. subvermispora for 12 weeks was also higher than that of untreated bagasse. These changes in IVOMD, IVNDFD and IVGP demonstrate that L. edodes has a higher capability of improving the digestibility for ruminants than C. subvermispora, P. eryngii or P. salmoneostramineus.Values without untreated bagasse and rice straw represent the means of three media, and those within columns with different superscript letters (a-h) denote significant difference at a 5% level.

Estimating the energy expenditure of farm animals at pasture is important for efficient animal management. In recent years, an alternative technique for estimating energy expenditure by measuring body acceleration has been widely performed in wildlife and human studies, but the availability of the technique in farm animals has not yet been examined. In the present study, we tested the potential use of an acceleration index, overall dynamic body acceleration (ODBA), as a new proxy for estimating the energy expenditure of grazing farm animals (cattle, goats and sheep) at pasture with the simultaneous evaluation of a conventional proxy, heart rate. Body accelerations in three axes and heart rate for cows (n = 8, two breeds), goats (n = 6) and sheep (n = 5) were recorded, and the effect of ODBA calculated from the body accelerations on heart rate was analyzed. In addition, the effects of the two other activity indices, the number of steps and vectorial dynamic body acceleration (VeDBA), on heart rate were also investigated. The results of the comparison among three activity indices indicated that ODBA was the best predictor for heart rate. Although the relationship between ODBA and heart rate was different between the groups of species and breeds and between individuals (P<0.01), the difference could be explained by different body weights; a common equation could be established by correcting the body weights (M: kg): heart rate (beats/min) = 147.263∙M -0.141 + 889.640∙M -0.179∙ODBA (g). Combining this equation with the previously reported energy expenditure per heartbeat, we estimated the energy expenditure of the tested animals, and the results indicated that ODBA is a good proxy for estimating the energy expenditure of grazing farm animals across species and breeds. The utility and simplicity of the procedure with acceleration loggers could make the accelerometry technique a worthwhile option in field research and commercial farm use.

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Three types of bamboo pellets as a ruminant feed: P1 (ground bamboo (GB) cultured with the fungus Ceriporiopsis subvermispora (CGB) : soybean curd residue (T) : soy sauce cake (S) in a 5:4:1 ratio on a dry matter (DM) basis); P2 (GB : T : S = 5:4:1 on a DM basis); and P3 (CGB : T : S = 5.5:0.8:3.7 on a DM basis) were prepared. Four wethers were assigned in a 4 × 4 Latin square design experiment to evaluate the applicability of the bamboo pellets. The experimental treatments were C (control): fed alfalfa hay cubes (AC) only, and T1, T2 and T3: fed P1, P2, and P3 with AC by 1:1 on a DM basis, respectively. The digestibility of the DM, organic matter and acid detergent fiber of P1 were significantly higher than those of P2 and P3 (P < 0.05). The total digestible nutrient (TDN) contents of AC, P1, P2 and P3 were 56.5%, 60.2%, 53.2% and 47.0%, respectively. No significant differences in nitrogen retention or ruminal pH and NH₃ were observed among the treatment groups. The results indicate that bamboo pellets cultured with C. subvermispora and mainly mixed with soybean curd residue improved nutritional quality of ground bamboo because of its high digestibility and TDN content.

Four wethers were used in a 4 × 4 Latin square design experiment to evaluate in vivo digestibility of total mixed ration (TMR) silage with food by-products for dairy cows, and the ruminal condition and nitrogen (N) balance were examined. Five by-products (i.e. potato waste, noodle waste, soybean curd residue, soy sauce cake and green tea waste) were obtained. Four types of TMR silage were used: control (C) containing roughage and commercial concentrate, T1:20% and T1:40% containing the five by-products replacing 20% and 40% of the commercial concentrate on a dry matter (DM) basis, respectively, and T2:40% containing three by-products (potato waste, noodle waste and soybean curd residue) replacing 40% of the commercial concentrate on a DM basis. The ingredients were mixed and preserved in oil drum silos for 4 months. The TMR silages showed 4.02-4.44% and 1.75-2.19% for pH and lactic acid contents, respectively. The digestibility of DM and neutral detergent fiber, and total digestible nutrient content were higher (P < 0.05) for T2:40% feeding than for C feeding. Urinary nitrogen excretion tended to be lower (P = 0.07) for T2:40% than for C. The results suggested 40% replacing of commercial concentrate by using the three food by-products can be most suitable for TMR silage.