• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.32 no.5
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• pp.665-674
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• 2019

Objective: In tropical regions, as in temperate regions where seasonality of forage production occurs, well-preserved forage is necessary for animal production during periods of forage shortage. However, the unique climate conditions (hot and humid) and forage characteristics (high moisture content and low soluble carbohydrate) in the tropics make forage preservation more difficult. The current study used natural ensiling of tropical forage as a model to evaluate silage characteristics under different temperatures ($28^{\circ}C$ and $40^{\circ}C$). Methods: Four tropical forages (king grass, paspalum, white popinac, and stylo) were ensiled under different temperatures ($28^{\circ}C$ and $40^{\circ}C$). After ensiling for 30 and 60 days, samples were collected to examine the fermentation quality, chemical composition and microbial community. Results: High concentrations of acetic acid (ranging from 7.8 to 38.5 g/kg dry matter [DM]) were detected in silages of king grass, paspalum and stylo with relatively low DM (ranging from 23.9% to 30.8% fresh material [FM]) content, acetic acid production was promoted with increased temperature and prolonged ensiling. Small concentrations of organic acid (ranging from 0.3 to 3.1 g/kg DM) were detected in silage of white popinac with high DM content (50.8% FM). The microbial diversity analysis indicated that Cyanobacteria originally dominated the bacterial community for these four tropical forages and was replaced by Lactobacillus and Enterobacter after ensiling. Conclusion: The results suggested that forage silages under tropical climate conditions showed enhanced acetate fermentation, while high DM materials showed limited fermentation. Lactobacillus and Enterobacter were the most probable genera responsible for tropical silage fermentation.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.30 no.12
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• pp.1718-1723
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• 2017

Objective: The study explored the dynamics of shearing force and its correlation with chemical compositions and in vitro dry matter digestibility (IVDMD) of stylo. Methods: The shearing force, diameter, linear density, chemical composition, and IVDMD of different height stylo stem were investigated. Linear regression analysis was done to determine the relationships between the shearing force and cut height, diameter, chemical composition, or IVDMD. Results: The results showed that shearing force of stylo stem increased with plant height increasing and the crude protein (CP) content and IVDMD decreased but fiber content increased over time, resulting in decreased forage value. In addition, tall stem had greater shearing force than short stem. Moreover, shearing force is positively correlated with stem diameter, linear density and fiber fraction, but negatively correlated with CP content and IVDMD. Conclusion: Overall, shearing force is an indicator more direct, easier and faster to measure than chemical composition and digestibility for evaluation of forage nutritive value related to animal performance. Therefore, it can be used to evaluate the nutritive value of stylo.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.9 no.3
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• pp.271-279
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• 1996

On-farm experiments were carried out in dryland farming in Bali for 48 weeks to study the effect of flock size on the growth and carcass characteristics of cross-bred goat fed gliricidia-supplemented diet. Eighty four bucks with average live weight of 15.87 kg were allocated in a completely randomized block design arrangement, consisted of three treatments and four blocks. The treatments were $3goats/2.7m^2$ (A), $6goats/5.4m^2$ (B) and $12goats/10.8m^2$ (C), while the floor density was the same ($0.9m^2$ per goat). Feed consumed by goat B was similar (p > 0.10), while feed consumed by goat C was lower (p < 0.10) than goat A. Live weight gain of goat B and C were lower (p<0.05) than goat A. FCR of goat B was higher (p < 0.10) than goat A, while FCR of goat C was similar (p > 0.10) with goat A. Goat B has heavier (p < 0.10) head and digestive tract, while goat C has heavier (p<0.10) hindlegs and digestive tract than goat A. Goat B has lighter (p < 0.10) shoulder, while goat C has lighter shoulder and heavier legs (p < 0.10) than goat A. The carcass quality (measured in terms of loin eye muscle area, meat, bone and fat portions) were not affected (p > 0.05) by the flock sizes.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.9 no.4
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• pp.381-387
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• 1996

An experiment was carried out for 12 weeks to study the feeding behaviour, growth and carcass characteristics of cross-bred goats. Nine bucks with an average live weight of $18.02{\pm}0.9kg$ were allocated in a completely randomized block design arrangement, consisting of three feeding regimes and three blocks. The feeding regimes consisted of 100% natural grass (Treatment A), 100% gliricidia leaf (Treatment B) and 100% ficus leaf (Treatment C). Frequency of turning-over and sniffing the feed and duration and frequency of ruminating, defaecating, and urination of goats in treatment B were longer, while duration of masticating and jaw movement of chewing one bolus was shorter than those of goats in treatments C and A (p < 0.05). Furthermore, goats in treatment B gained more live weight, consumed more feed, consumed less water and was more efficient in utilizing the feed than goats in treatments C or A (p < 0.05). The dressing percentage, carcass length and carcass fat of goats in treatment B were higher and their bone percentages were lower than those in treatments C and A (p < 0.05). There is an indication that feeding gliricidia and ficus leaves during the dry season could not only increase the body weight and improve carcass quality of the goat but also save water for household needs.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.8 no.3
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• pp.231-239
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• 1995

Alley cropping field experiment has been carried out for 24 months in lime-stone based dryland farming area of southern Bali to study the chemical composition and nutritive value of 16 provenances of Gliricidia sepium The design was a completely randomized block: arrangement, consisted of 16 treatments (G. sepium provenances) and 6 blocks as replications with 12 plants per provenance. Of the 16 gliricidia provenances, six were from Mexico (M), four were from Guatemala (G), one each was from Colombia (C), Indonesia (I), Nicaragua (N), Panama (P), Costa Rica (R) and Venezuela (V). After 12 months establishment, the gliricidia were lopped at 150 cm height regularly 4 times a year, twice during the 4 months wet season and twice during the 8 months dry season. The highest ash, mineral, total soluble phenol, prussic acid and digestibility were in V1; the highest crude fiber component was in M39; the highest gross energy was in P13, while the highest organic matter was in M35. Based on the highest nutritive constituents, V1, C24 and G14 were ranked first, second and third respectively, while based on the lowest non-nutritive constituents C24, V1 and N14 were ranked first, second and third, respectively. The importance of such provenances as source of nutrients for the ruminant during the dry season were discussed.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.195-200
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• 1995

The design of this field experiment was a completely randomized block arrangement, consisted of 16 treatments (Gliricidia sepium provenances) and 6 blocks as replications with 12 plants per provenance. Of the 16 gliricidia provenances, six were from Mexico (M), four were from Guatemala (G), and one each was from Colombia (C), Indonesia (I), Nicaragua (N), panama (P), Costa Rica (R), and Venezuela (V). After 12 months establishment the gliricidia were lopped regularly 4 times a year, twice during the 4 months wet season and twice during the 8 months dry season at 150 cm height. There was variation (p < 0.05) in stem elongation from 22 to 80 cm, leaf retained from 118 to 209%, branch number from 13 to 24, fodder yield from 1,015 to 1,671 g DW/plant and wood yield from 792 to 1,662 g DW/plant among the provenances; and such variations were affected by the seasons. Belen (N14), Retalhuleu (G14) and Bukit Bali (I) provenances were ranked first, second and third, respectively, measured in terms of leaf retention, stem elongation, fodder and wood yields during the wet and dry seasons.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.8 no.5
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• pp.515-522
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• 1995

The field experiment was carried out to study the growth and fodder yield of the Gliricidia sepium provenances in fence system in dryland farming area in Bali, Indonesia for 24 months. The design of the experiment was a completely randomized block arrangement, consisted of 16 treatments (Gliricidia sepium provenances) and 12 blocks with 10 plants per provenance. Of the 16 gliricidia provenances, six were from Mexico (M), four were from Guatemala (G), and one each was from Colombia (C), Indonesia (I), Nicaragna (N), Panama (P), Costa Rica (R) and Venezuela (V). After 40 weeks establishment the gliricidia were lopped regularly 4 times a year, twice during the four month wet season and twice during the eight month dry season at 150 cm height. There were variations (p < 0.05) in stem elongation from 10 to 121 cm, leaf retained from 48 to 105%, leaf shedding from 53 to 86%, branch number from 4 to 7, fodder yield from 281 to 648 g DW/plant, and wood yield from 53 to 179 g DW/plant; and such variations were affected by the seasons. Retalhuleu provenance of Guatemala (G14), Belen provenance of Nicaragua (N14) and Bukit Bali provenance of Indonesia (I) were ranked first, second and third, respectively, measured in terms of stem elongation, leaf retention, fodder and wood yields during the wet and dry seasons.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.106-113
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• 1997

A field experiment was carried out on a dryland farming area of southern Bali for 92 weeks, to study the growth and fodder yield of 16 provenances of Gliricidia sepium in guardrow system. The experimental design was completely randomized blocks of 16 treatments (Gliricidia sepium provenances) replicated 3 times, with 6 plants per provenance. Six provenances were from Mexico (M), four from Guatemala (G), and one each from Colombia (C), indonesia (I), Nicaragua (N), Panama (P), Costa Rica (R) and Venezuela (V). After 40 weeks establishment the gliricidia were lopped 4 times a year at 150 cm height, at 2 months intervals during the 4 month wet season and 4 month intervals during the 8 month dry season. Stem elongation varied from 21 to 81 cm, leaf retention from 39 to 240%, branch number from 12 to 35, fodder yield from 1,090 to 3,153 g DW/plant. and wood yield from 743 to 2,750 g DW/plant. Pontezuelo provenance of Colombia (C24), Belen provenance of Nicaragua (N14) and Retalhuleu provenance of Guatemala (G14) were ranked first, second and third, respectively, for stem elongation, leaf retention, fodder and wood yields, during the wet and dry seasons.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.17 no.7
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• pp.942-946
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• 2004

This study aimed to examine the fermentation quality of a tropical Elephant grass (Pennisetum purpuereum) and temperate Italian ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum) forages ensiled additive of fermented juice of epiphytic lactic acid bacteria (LAB) and to determine what factor affects the fermentation characteristics of the crops. In both species cell walls neutral detergent fiber (NDF) and acid detergent fiber (ADF) contents in silages were consistently decreased (p<0.05) with the addition of FJLB at ensiling more then Control treatment. The FJLB additive increased number of LAB (cfu) and lactate concentration in the silages in both species. The Control treatment without additive underwent a clostridial type of fermentation with traces of propionic, iso-butyric, n-butyric acids contents with higher (p<0.01) levels of volatile basic nitrogen (VBN %TN) and had appreciable decreased of nutrient in silages. FJLB treatment improved silage nutritive value with little contents of VBN %TN, ethanol and very small amount of dry matter (DM) and hemicellulose losses (p<0.05) between 2 to 5% and 7 to 3% respectively, in Elephant grass and Italian ryegrass species. The results in this study indicates that while among the factors affecting silage fermentation butyric type of fermentation was more pronounced in tropical elephant grass compared to the temperate Italian ryegrass, FJLB additive revealed a better silage fermentation products in both species.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.27 no.4
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• pp.524-529
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• 2014

Two methods of feed preference trials were compared to evaluate the acceptability of 5 fresh foliages: Leucaena leucocephala, Moringa oleifera, Portulaca oleracea, Guazuma ulmifolia, and Brosimum alicastrum that was included as control. The evaluation included chemical analyses and forage intake by rabbits. The first method was a cafeteria trial; 12 California growing rabbits aged 8 wk, allocated in individual cages, were offered the five forage plants at the same time inside the cage, while in the second trial 60 California growing rabbits aged 8 wk, allocated individually, were randomly distributed into 5 experimental groups (n = 12/group); for each group just one forage species was offered at a time. The testing period for each method lasted for 7 d, preceded by one week of adaptation. The results showed that B. alicastrum and L. lecocephala were the most preferred forages while on the contrary G. ulmifolia was the least preferred one by rabbits. The results also revealed that the CV% value for the 2nd method (16.32%), which the tested forages were presented separately to rabbits, was lower and methodologically more acceptable than such value for the $1^{st}$ method (34.28%), which all forages were presented together at the same time. It can be concluded that a range of tropical forages were consumed in acceptable quantities by rabbits, suggesting that diets based on such forages with a concentrate supplement could be used successfully for rabbit production. However, growth performance studies are still needed before recommendations could be made on appropriate ration formulations for commercial use.