title: Nutrient digestibility and ruminal fermentation characteristic in swamp buffaloes fed on chemically treated rice straw and urea.
abstract: The experiment was conducted to determine effects of urea-lime-treated rice straw and urea levels in concentrate on rumen fermentation, apparent nutrient digestibility, and cellulolytic bacteria population of 4-year-old, rumen-fistulated swamp buffaloes. All animals were randomly assigned according to a 2 × 2 factorial arrangement in a 4 × 4 Latin square design to receive four dietary treatments: factor A, two sources of roughage (rice straw and 2%urea + 2%lime-treated rice straw); factor B, two levels of urea in concentrate mixture (0% and 4%). Roughages were given ad libitum together with 0.3% BW of concentrate. It was found that voluntary feed intake, the digestibility of DM, OM, CP, NDF, acetate, and propionate concentration were significantly increased (P < 0.05) by treated rice straw, while NH(3)-N, BUN, and propionic acid concentration were increased by both factors of treated rice straw and 4% urea in concentrate. The real-time PCR quantification of Fibrobacter succinogenes and Ruminococcus albus population, and anaerobic fungi were greater (P < 0.05), but the population of Ruminococcus flavefaciens, protozoa, and methanogenic bacteria were reduced (P > 0.05) as influenced by treated rice straw and urea level. In conclusion, the combined use of urea-lime-treated rice straw and fed with concentrate (4% urea) could improve rumen ecology, rumen fermentation efficiency, and nutrient digestibility in swamp buffaloes.
authors.affiliation: Tropical Feed Resources Research and Development Center (TROFREC), Department of Animal Science, Faculty of Agriculture, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen, 40002, Thailand.
authors.forename: Vinh Thi
authors.initials: VT
authors.lastname: Nguyen
authors.forename: Metha
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Wanapat
authors.forename: Pichad
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Khejornsart
authors.forename: Phongthorn
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Kongmun
mesh_terms: D000821:Animal Feed / Q000032:analysis; D000822:Animal Husbandry / Q000379:methods; D000824:Animal Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; D000818:Animals; D001419:Bacteria / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics; D002020:Buffaloes / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000382:microbiology / Q000469:parasitology / Q000502:physiology; D017610:Calcium Compounds; D002417:Cattle / Q000469:parasitology; D004063:Digestion; D056890:Eukaryota / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics; D005285:Fermentation / Q000502:physiology*; D005658:Fungi / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics; D008297:Male; D012275:Oryza / Q000737:chemistry*; D010087:Oxides; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S / Q000032:analysis; D012417:Rumen / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000382:microbiology / Q000469:parasitology; D013785:Thailand; D014508:Urea / Q000008:administration & dosage*
chemical_list: D017610:Calcium Compounds; D010087:Oxides; D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S; D014508:Urea; C016538:lime