The influence of sulfur included in fermented total mixed ration (FTMR) containing fresh cassava root on rumen characteristics, microbial protein synthesis, and blood metabolites in cattle was evaluated. Four Thai native beef cattle were randomly assigned according to a 2 × 2 factorial in a 4 × 4 Latin square design, and dietary treatments were as follows: factor A included a level of sulfur at 1% and 2% in total mixed ration, and factor B featured ensiling times at zero and 7 days. Digestibility of dry matter was increased when FTMR was supplemented with 2% sulfur. Blood thiocyanate increased by 69.5% when ensiling time was 7 days compared to no ensiling (p < 0.01). Bacterial populations were significantly different in the FTMR containing sulfur at 2% and 7 days of ensiling. Furthermore, microbial crude protein and efficiency of microbial protein synthesis were higher in the FTMR containing 2% sulfur and 7 days of ensiling (p < 0.01). Thus, high levels of hydrocyanic acid from fresh cassava root could be detoxified by a sulfur addition with an ensiling process to become nontoxic to cattle.

The objective of this study was to compare the effects of Crabtree-negative ruminal yeast and Crabtree-positive yeast in ensiled rice straw (RS) on the ensilage quality, nutritive value, and microorganism composition, including the evaluation of the ensiled RS using the in vitro gas production technique. The experiment was conducted in a 4 × 3 factorial arrangement in a randomized complete design. Factor A was yeast species with no inoculant, Crabtree-negative yeasts (Pichia kudriavzevii KKU20 and Candida tropicalis KKU20), and Crabtree-positive yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisae), whereas factor B was ensilage times (7, 14, and 21 days). The rate of growth was revealed to be lower in Crabtree-positive yeasts than the other Crabtree-negative yeast strains (p < 0.01). RS ensiled with S. cerevisiae showed decreased dry matter (DM) content by 9.0% when compared to the sample without a yeast inoculant. In addition, organic matter (OM) content was greater (p < 0.01) for P. kudriavzevii KKU20 than C. tropicalis KKU20 and without an inoculant. Neutral detergent fiber (NDF) content was significantly decreased (p < 0.01) by yeast inoculants by about 2.75% when compared to the control group. Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) and aerobic bacteria were low (p < 0.05) when yeasts were added. However, no interaction was found between yeast and ensilage times on the quality of ensiled RS (p > 0.05). The P. kudriavzevii KKU20 addition was associated with the highest value (p < 0.01) of gas produced—an insoluble fraction (b), potential extent of gas production (a + b), and cumulative gas production at 96 h—when compared with S. cerevisiae or the control group. The highest in vitro dry matter digestibility and in vitro neutral detergent fiber digestibility was observed in RS ensiled with P. kudriavzevii KKU20 for 14 days (p < 0.01, p < 0.05). The maximum total volatile fatty acids (VFAs) at 4 and 8 h of incubation and the mean value were observed in RS ensiled with P. kudriavzevii KKU20 (p < 0.01). RS ensiled with all yeast strains showed an increased propionate concentration at 8 h (p < 0.01). In conclusion, ensiling RS with isolated Crabtree-negative ruminal yeasts could benefit feed digestion and in vitro gas production more than Crabtree-positive yeast does. P. kudriavzevii KKU20, an isolated Crabtree-negative ruminal yeast used to treat RS, had the highest potential for increasing cumulative gas production and enhancing in vitro digestibility.

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This research aimed to evaluate the effects of anthocyanin-extracted residue (AER) in the diet of cattle on meat oxidation during storage and on the fatty acid profiles of the meat. Sixteen male dairy cattle (average body weight 160 ± 10.6 kg) were allotted to feed in a completely randomized design (CRD) with four levels of AER supplementation, 0, 20, 40, and 60 g/kg dry matter (DM) in the total mixed ration (TMR). These TMR diets were fed ad libitum to the cattle throughout the trial. At the end of the feeding trial (125 days), all cattle were slaughtered and meat samples from the Longissimus dorsi (LD) muscle were collected to assess meat oxidation and fatty acid profile. The antioxidant effect of AER on meat oxidation was investigated during 14 days of storage based on color, myoglobin redox forms, lipid, and protein oxidation. The results showed meat from cattle fed AER had better color stability, lower oxidation of lipid, protein and myoglobin than did meat from cattle fed the control diet (0 g/kg AER). Furthermore, fatty acid profiles were affected by AER supplementation with an increase in the concentration of n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA). These results support the inclusion of AER supplementation as a natural antioxidant in cattle to reduce meat oxidation and increase PUFA in meat.

The objective of this study was to determine the degradability of cassava chip (CC), cassava waste (CW), yellow sweet potato (YP), white sweet potato (WP), purple sweet potato (PP), corn meal (CM), and rice bran (RB) using in situ technique. Two ruminally fistulated steers with an average weight of 303±10 kg were used to determine in situ degradabilities of DM and OM. Seven feed sources were weighted in nylon bags (38 µm pore size) and incubated ruminally for 1, 2, 4, 6, 8, 12, 24, and 48 h. The results showed that asymptote (a+b) and effective degradability (ED) of DM of energy sources ranked from the highest to the lowest; CC, YP,

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Four, ruminally fistulated crossbred (Brahman×native) beef cattle with initial body weight of 420±15 kg were randomly assigned according to a 4×4 Latin square design. The dietary treatments were mulberry leaf pellet (MUP) supplementation at 0, 200, 400 and 600 g/hd/d with rice straw fed to allow ad libitum intake. All steers were kept in individual pens and supplemented with concentrate at 5 g/kg of body weight daily. The experiment was 4 periods, and each lasted 21 d. During the first 14 d, all steers were fed their respective diets ad libitum and during the last 7 d, they were moved to metabolism crates for total urine and fecal collection. It was found that increasing MUP levels resulted in linearly increasing rice straw and total intakes (p<0.05). Ruminal temperature and pH were not significantly affected by MUP supplementation while NH3-N concentration was increased (p<0.05) and maintained at a high level (18.5 mg/dl) with supplementation of MUP at 600 g/hd/d. Similarly, viable total bacteria in the rumen and cellulolytic bacteria were enriched by MUP supplementation at 600 g/hd/d. However, the rumen microbial diversity determined with a PCR-DGGE technique showed similar methanogenic diversity between treatments and sampling times and were similar at a 69% genetic relationship as determined by a UPGMA method. Based on this study, it could be concluded that supplementation of MUP at 600 g/hd/d improved DM intake, ruminal NH3-N, and cellulolytic bacteria thus iimproving rumen ecology in beef cattle fed with rice straw.

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