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The objective of this study was to investigate the characteristics of ruminal microbial communities of alpacas (Lama pacos) and sheep (Ovis aries) fed three diets with varying ratios of roughage (corn stalk) to concentrate, 3:7 (LS), 5:5 (MS) and 7:3 (HS). Six alpacas (one‐year‐old and weighing 29.5 ± 7.1 kg) and six sheep (one‐year‐old and weighing 27.9 ± 2.7 kg) were used in this study, in a replicated 3 × 3 Latin square experiment. Total protozoa concentration was determined under the microscope; total fungi and methanogens were assessed using quantitative polymerase chain reaction and expressed as a percentage of total bacterial 16S rRNA gene copies; bacterial communities were investigated by targeted 16S rRNA gene (V3–V4 region) sequencing. The percentage of fungi was significantly higher in alpacas than in sheep under the LS diet, while the concentration of protozoa was significantly lower in alpacas under HS, MS and LS diets. The alpha diversity including Shannon, Chao l and ACE indices of bacterial communities was higher in alpacas than in sheep, under the LS diet. A total of 299 genera belonging to 22 phyla were observed in the forestomach of alpaca and sheep, with Bacteroidetes and Firmicutes dominating both animal species. Phyla Armatimonadetes and Fusobacteria, as well as 64 genera, were detected only in alpacas, whereas phyla Acidobacteria and Nitrospira, as well as 44 genera, were found only in sheep. The abundance of cellulolytic bacteria, including Butyrivibrio and Pseudobutyrivibrio, was higher in alpacas than in sheep under all three diets. These differences in the forestomach microbial communities partly explained why alpacas displayed a higher poor‐quality roughage digestibility, and a lower methane production. Results also revealed that the adverse effects of high‐concentrate diets (70%) were lesser in alpacas than in sheep. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: A study was undertaken to evaluate the optimum roughage to concentrate ratio in maize stover (MS) based complete diets for efficient microbial biomass production (EMBP) using in vitro gas production technique. Materials and Methods: MS based complete diets with roughage to concentrate ratio of 100:0, 90:10, 80:20, 70:30, 60:40, 50:50, 40:60, and 30:70 were formulated, and 200 mg of oven-dried sample was incubated in water bath at 39°C along with media (rumen liquor [RL] - buffer) in in vitro gas syringes to evaluate the gas production. The gas produced was recorded at 8 and 24 h of inc ubation. In vitro organic matter digestibility (IVOMD), metabolizable energy (ME), truly digestible organic matter (TDOM), partitioning factor (PF), and EMBP were calculated using appropriate formulae. Ammonia nitrogen and total volatile fatty acids (TVFAs) production were analyzed in RL fluid-media mixture after 24 h of incubation. Results: In vitro gas production (ml) at 24 h incubation, IVOMD, ME, TDOM, TVFA concentration, and ammonia nitrogen production were increased (p

This study was taken up to assess the effect of herbal feed additives [HFAs; kulthi (Dohichos biflorus), patha (Cissampelos pareria), aritha (Sapindus trifoliatus)] supplemented at 0–3% on DM basis of total mixed rations (TMR) on the in vitro methane production and nutrient fermentation in a 3 × 4 factorial design. TMR with different roughage to concentrate ratio (R:C) of 80:20, 75:25, 70:30 and 65:35 on DM basis were formulated. The roughage portion was made up of wheat straw and maize green fodder in 70:30 ratio. The chemical analysis of HFAs revealed that aritha had the highest concentration of both water and methanol soluble saponins; and condensed tannins (Leucocyanidin). Patha followed by kulthi had the highest concentration of vitamin C, flavonoids, total phenols and true tannins. The digestion kinetic parameters revealed that with the increase in level of concentrate in the diet, irrespective of type and level of supplementation of HFAs, the lag phase for fermentation of diet decreased linearly. The data conclusively revealed that the best response with respect to net gas production (NGP), digestibility of nutrients, methane production, volatile fatty acid (VFA) production, ME availability and other fermentation parameters from TMRs with different R:C ratios was observed in kulthi and patha supplemented at the rate of 2% of TMR with R:C ratio of 65:35 on DM basis.

The effect of concentrate mixtures with crude protein (CP) levels 10%, 13%, 16%, and 19% and diets with roughage to concentrate ratios 80:20, 60:40, 40:60, and 20:80 (w/w) were determined on dry matter (DM) and organic matter (OM) digestibility, and fermentation metabolites using an in vitro fermentation technique. In vitro fermented attributes were measured after 4, 24, and 48 h of incubation respectively. The digestibility of DM and OM, and total volatile fatty acid (VFA) increased whereas pH decreased with the increased amount of concentrate in the diet (p

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of high- or low-concentrate ratio in the present of sunflower oil (SFO) in all tested diets on rumen fermentation, nutrient utilization, and fatty acid profile in milk fat of lactating goat's. Eighteen Zaribi goats (averaged 43 kg ± 1Kg body weight) were divided into three similar groups (6 goats each) for use in the feeding trial, which lasted 90 days. A randomized complete block designs was applied. Experimental rations comprised iso-nitrogenous and iso caloric based on concentrate feed mixture (CFM) and berseem hay in three roughage to concentrate ratios as follow: 50:50(T1), 55:45(T2) and60:40(T3). The three rations were supplemented with 30 g SFO/kg of DM intake. The results showed that dry matter intake (P < 0.05) decreased with increasing the ratio of roughage by 26.9% and 41.0% for T2 and T3 compared with T1, respectively. There were no significant differences among groups in DM digestibility, while OM and EE digestibility (P < 0.05) were higher in T1 ration (high concentrate) than both T2 and T3 rations (lower concentrate). All nutrients digestibility significantly (P < 0.05) increased with T1 (high concentrate and low roughage) than T3 (low concentrate and high roughage), while, no significant difference between T1 and T2 rations. On the other hand, TDN values did not affected by concentrate to roughage ratios. While, DCP decreased in T2 and T3 by increasing roughage ratio. High-roughage diet (T2 and T3) resulted in a lower rumen pH and higher total rumen VFA concentration, whereas, high concentrate diet increased rumen pH and decreased rumen VFA concentration. High-concentrate diet increased rumen ammonia-N (P < 0.05) and molar proportion of acetate to propionate. There were no significant differences in milk yield, as 4% fat corrected milk, among animals fed the tested rations supplemented with sunflower oil (SFO) as source of unsaturated fatty acids. The high roughage diets (T2 and T3) resulted in increase in linoleic (c18:2) and linolenic acid (c18:3) concentration by 69 and 45%, respectively compared with control (T1). Also, kids of T1 group had significant (P < 0.05) higher birth weight than other groups, while, there were no significant difference in daily gain among kids of the three groups. In conclusion, high concentrate diet could have better milk yield and protein percentage, while have less fat % and yield, compare to high roughage diet. Suckling kids could benefit more gain with dams fed high concentrate diet. Low roughage diet also develop better fat profile in milk. However, more studies are needed to identify the best economic combination for feeding dairy goats. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this study was to investigate microbial population in the rumen of dairy steers as influenced by supplementing with dietary condensed tannins and saponins and different roughage to concentrate ratios. Four, rumen fistulated dairy steers (Bos indicus) were used in a 2×2 factorial arrangement in a 4×4 Latin square design. The main factors were two roughage to concentrate ratios (R:C, 60:40 and 40:60) and two supplementations of rain tree pod meal (RPM) (0 and 60 g/kg of total DM intake). Chopped 30 g/kg urea treated rice straw was used as a roughage source. All animals received feed according to respective R:C ratios at 25 g/kg body weight. The RPM contained crude tannins and saponins at 84 and 143 g/kg of DM, respectively. It was found that ruminal pH decreased while ruminal temperature increased by a higher concentrate ratio (R:C 40:60) (p

The objective of this study was to determine the roughage to concentrate (R:C) ratio with rain tree pod meal (RPM) supplementation on in vitro fermentation using gas production technique. The experiment design was a 6×4 factorial arrangement in a CRD. Factor A was 6 levels of R:C ratio (100:0, 80:20, 60:40, 40:60, 20:80 and 0:100) and factor B was 4 levels of RPM (0, 4, 8 and 12 mg). It was found that gas kinetic, extent rate (c) was linearly increased (p

The study was designed to identify the most appropriate roughage to concentrate ratio for Malpura ewes under semi-arid tropical environments. The study was conducted for a period of 35 days and included 30 (2 years old) non-pregnant Malpura ewes weighing between 30 and 35 kg. Estrus synchronization was carried out in all the animals using indigenously developed intravaginal sponges impregnated with progesterone. The ewes were randomly divided into three groups ( n = 10/group) namely R50 ( n = 10; roughage to concentrate, 50:50), R60 ( n = 10; roughage to concentrate, 60:40), and R70 ( n = 10; roughage to concentrate, 70:30). Individual feed and water intake was recorded on a daily basis throughout the course of the study. Growth variables, physiological responses, blood metabolites, and endocrine responses were estimated at weekly intervals. Results of the study indicated that nutritional treatment significantly influenced growth variables including body weight ( p < 0.01), BCS ( p < 0.01), feed intake ( p < 0.05), and water intake ( p < 0.01) among the different treatment groups. The highest growth variables were recorded in R50 whereas the lowest were in R70. Both respiration rate ( p < 0.01) and plasma estradiol levels ( p < 0.05) also showed a similar trend as that of the growth variables. However, growth hormone ( p < 0.01), T ( p < 0.01), Hb ( p < 0.01), glucose ( p < 0.05), and estrus duration ( p < 0.05) demonstrated a reverse trend with highest values recorded in R70 and lowest in R50. However, the nutritional treatment did not influence pulse rate, rectal temperature, T, progesterone, PCV, total cholesterol, total protein, albumin, estrus%, and estrus cycle length. Since the additional concentrate supplementation in R50 and R60 did not improve the production variables, it can be concluded that providing 70 % roughage and 30 % concentrate could be a more appropriate and economically feasible ration composition for Malpura ewes reared in semi-arid tropical environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effect of concentrate mixtures with crude protein (CP) levels 10%, 13%, 16%, and 19% and diets with roughage to concentrate ratios 80:20, 60:40, 40:60, and 20:80 (w/w) were determined on dry matter (DM) and organic matter (OM) digestibility, and fermentation metabolites using an in vitro fermentation technique. In vitro fermented attributes were measured after 4, 24, and 48 h of incubation respectively. The digestibility of DM and OM, and total volatile fatty acid (VFA) increased whereas pH decreased with the increased amount of concentrate in the diet (p<0.001), however CP levels of concentrate did not have any influence on these attributes. Gas production reduced with increased CP levels, while it increased with increasing concentrate levels. Ammonia nitrogen (NH3-N) concentration and microbial CP production increased significantly (p<0.05) by increasing CP levels and with increasing concentrate levels in diet as well, however, no significant difference was found between 16% and 19% CP levels. Therefore, 16% CP in concentrate and increasing proportion of concentrate up to 80% in diet all had improved digestibility of DM and organic matter, and higher microbial protein production, with improved fermentation characteristics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]