Eleven Barbados Blackbelly ewes and their 22 lambs were used to study the impact of supplementary feeding of sheep ration pellets and sprouted black-eyed beans on milk intake, and weight gain in suckling lambs during first 6 weeks of dam's lactation. The newborn lambs were separated from the dams 72 h after birth and randomly allotted to one of two groups. Lambs in Gr I were offered commercial sheep ration pellets (CSR), while lambs in Gr II, sprouted black-eyed beans (SBB) separately as creep feed from day 4 to day 42. Milk intake by suckling lambs from day 4 to 42 was obtained using a ‘weigh-suckle-weigh ’method. The average daily milk intake (ADMI), daily gain (ADG) and the ratio of ADMI: ADG for CSR and SBB were similar (P>0.05). The mean ADMI/ADG for CSR week 1–3 and SBB week 1–3 were 8.0±0.10 and 7.9±0.11, respectively and the corresponding values for CSR week 4–6 and SBB week 4–6 were 8.3±0.18 and 8.2±0.53. The ewes weighed 47.9±0.88 kg on day 2 and 45.0±0.93 kg on day 36 of lactation. The average milk yield (g/day/ewe) for the six weeks was 1009±32.1with a peak of 1151±91.8 in week 4. The estimated means for daily gain of lambs in week 1–3 and week 4–6, for the CSR and SBB groups were 62.71±0.80, 61.76±0.80, 63.85±0.80 and 65.15±0.80g, respectively. In conclusion, feeding sprouted black-eyed beans as creep feed during weeks 4 to 6 had advantage in promoting weight gain in milk fed lambs.

Maintenance energy requirements (MERs) were calculated for 17 German shepherd and 20 Labrador retriever adult dogs using an in-home prospective dietary trial. The dogs were fed the same dry pet food and body weight, food intake, body condition score and physical activity were monitored for 10 weeks. Labrador retrievers were significantly heavier and had higher body condition scores than German shepherd dogs, but there was no difference between males and females within each group. Body weights remained stable over the study period, with an average daily gain of 9.1 g. Mean (SD) MER was 103.4 (16.3) kcal/kg BW0.75 , which was some 20% lower than that currently suggested for moderately active young adult dogs. Individual MER ranged from 66.8 to 141 kcal/kg BW0.75 . There were no significant differences in MER between the two breeds, or between males and females within and between the two breeds. There was a significant inverse relationship between MER and body condition score, reflecting the lower energy expenditure of adipose tissue. The lower MER of dogs in this study, relative to previous observations, may reflect climatic and environmental differences and highlight the necessity for accurate estimates of MER in relation to the production and feeding of pet foods.

A study was undertaken to investigate lactation pattern and the relationship between milk yield and body weight gain in Mandya lambs. Twenty-four ewes were selected for the study as and when lambing occurred. The mean birth weight of lambs was 2.10±0.01 kg. The colostrum intake at 6 h and 24 h after birth was 3.2 and 9.8% of birth weight. The mean daily milk yield of the Mandya ewes was 304 ml over a period of eight weeks. Average fat, total solids, protein, solids-not-fat, ash and lactose contents of milk were 8.60, 20.18, 4.95, 11.55, 0.80, and 5.82%, respectively. The average daily gain in lambs was 68 g over the period of eight weeks. There was significant (P<0.001) and positive correlation (r2 =0.84) between milk intake and lamb weight gain. The total body weight loss of dams was 2.22 kg in 34 days of lactation (@ 65.3 g/day). Four lambs which were provided dry feed along with milk, gained an average of 77 g/day. The average daily gain from milk and dry feed were 46 and 33 g, respectively. Up to fifth week, weight gain from milk exceeded over dry feed and then onwards gain from dry feed exceeded over the gain from milk intake. The study suggested that milk yield of the dams is a limiting factor for growth of lambs in pre-weaning stage. Alow persistency of lactation yield associated with body weight loss in ewes is suggestive of nutritional inadequacy in grazing ewes during pregnancy and lactation.

Development and growth of huge livestock population in India are dependent on availability of feed and fodder. But there exists a large gap between requirement and actual availability of feed and fodder at national level including green fodder. The green fodder shortage can be partially met out by intensively cultivating green fodder trees. An action oriented participatory approach was initiated in Chikkaballapur district of Karnataka to promote intensive cultivation of Sesbania grandiflora, a perennial fodder tree. The dairy farmers were sensitized and mobilized to take up intensive cultivation of Sesbania grandiflora. On-farm demonstrations were conducted to demonstrate effect of supplementation of Sesbania forage on milk yield in crossbred lactating cows. Constraints in adopting intensive cultivation of Sesbania grandiflora were identified through personal interview using structured interview schedule. The participant farmers cultivated sesbania intensively and the fodder was supplemented @ 5 kg/day/cow. The milk yield increased significantly by 11.97% in cows supplemented with Sesbania forage. Lack of assured irrigation and electricity was ranked as the major constraint. Thus, small holder dairy farmers can successfully cultivate Sesbania grandiflora (100-200 trees) intensively in 1 or 2 guntas of fallow land with minimal or no inputs and green fodder scarcity can be minimized to some extent. The unit cost of milk production can be reduced by supplementing the Sesbania fodder to cross bred milking cows and thereby sustain dairy farming.

Three aerobic varieties of rice straw IR-64, IR-36 and IR-30864 differing in their composition and rate of substrate degradation were incubated without or with 5 and 7.5% of tamarind seed testa (TST) to evaluate the effect of tannin on ruminal biomass production. Semi-purified tamarind seed tannin containing total phenolic content of 51.73% tannic acid (TA) equivalence, total tannin of 31.75% TA equivalence and condensed tannin of 23.32% leucocyanidine equivalent, degrading with a total gas production of 100 ml at a rate of 0.0306 mg/min was used for the study. The (TST) supplementation (P<0.01) reduced the potential gas production, prolonged the rate of substrate degradation in all the three varieties. The halflife was prolonged by 2h in IR-64 and IR-36 variety and 6h in IR-30864 variety. Incubation of straw varieties with TST at t1/2 period of respective straws, showed significant (P<0.01) increase of rumen microbial biomass production in terms of RNA equivalence. Significant linear reduction in gas production was observed in all the varieties with increasing level of TST. The efficiency of rumen biomass production were increased (P<0.01) in all the varieties with TST addition. The total SCFA contents were low in all the varieties of straw with addition of either 5 or 7.5% TST with resultant variations in the concentration of propionate and butyrates. Inclusion of tamarind seed testa at 5 and 7.5% to aerobic straws produced a shift in the fermentation pattern towards more microbial biomass, and less of gas and SCFA production, increased efficiency of biomass production along with higher propionate and lower butyrate and isobutyrate production.

Quantification of rumen microbial biomass synthesis assumes significance as rumen fermentation of feed organic matter and microbial biomass synthesis meet 70-85% of energy and 70-100% of protein needs of ruminants which necessitates understanding the feed factors influencing higher microbial biomass in the rumen. Determination of feed factors affecting microbial biomass synthesis in vivo is too expensive. Hence, the rumen in vitro gas production technique used for feed energy evaluation in ruminant feedstuffs was adopted to assess microbial biomass production potential of feedstuffs based on the concept of partitioning of fermented organic matter between microbial biomass and fermentation waste products. Diets formulated with differing in microbial biomass synthesis termed as partitioning factor (PF) and tested them for their efficiency of microbial biomass synthesis in vitro and assessed the same in vivo on feed intake, nutrient digestibility, nitrogen balance, purine excretion in urine and production performance in growing and lactating animals is compiled in this review.

Microbial protein (MBP) production plays a pivotal role in ruminant nutrition. Any improvement in the quantitative production of MBP in rumen can resolve simple to complex issues such as digestibility to methanogensis. Quantitative aspects of rumen microbial biomass are important than qualitative milieu present in rumen for functional expression of nutrition to the health and productivity of host animal. Functional biodiversity observed in the rumen microorganism is well orchestrated adaptation between various subpopulations. Magnificent array of biological, physical and chemical factors involved in MBP production and its efficiency are discussed in this review.

The experiment was conducted in growing ram lambs to validate energy estimates of mixed diets obtained from in vitro incubation for gas production technique (RIVIGPT) through in vivo digestibility trials. Twelve Bannur ram lambs were divided in to four groups of three each. Four mixed diets comprised of rhodes hay (RH) and concentrate supplements (CS) in the ratio of 50:50 were tested in four periods in a switch over design. Each period lasted for four weeks with an adjustment period of three weeks and digestion trial(DT) for one week. The metabolisable energy (ME, MJ kg-1 DM) content of mixed diets at maintenance level of intake obtained by DT for diets-1,2,3 and 4 were 9.3, 8.8, 8.9 and 8.1 respectively. The corresponding ME values obtained from RIVIGP were 9.8, 9.0, 9.3 and 8.7 respectively. The mean ME output (Maintenance + weight gain) for the diets-1,2,3 and 4 were 4.4, 4.2, 4.3 and 4.2 respectively. The ME intake estimated from ME obtained from DT and RIVIGP for the diets-1,2,3 and 4 were 4.5 and 5.0, 4.2 and 4.7, 4.3 and 4.9, 3.9 and 4.6 respectively. Hence, the observed performance of growing ram lambs expressed in terms of the total ME output was accountable to the extent of 98 and 90% of ME intake estimates obtained from ME values derived by DT and RIVIGP respectively.

Kiran, D., Krishnamoorthy, U., Manju, G.L. and Manjunath, V. 2011. Relationship between gas production, true degraded organic matter and microbial biomass synthesis for protein feedstuffs as influenced by incubation time in the in vitro gas production. Animal Nutrition and Feed Technology, 11: 53-62.Five protein feedstuffs, namely ambadi (Hibiscus cantzabinus) cake, cottonseed meal, groundnut meal, rapeseed meal, and sesame meal were evaluated using the in vitro gas production technique, for fermentation stoichiometry, gas production, true digested organic matter (TDOM) and microbial biomass (MB) synthesis at incubation time of half asymptotic gas production (t(1/2)) and 24 h. The mean molar ratio of short chain fatty acids (c2:c3:c4) for the protein supplements at t(1/2) and 24 h were 0.71:0.20:0.09 and 0.72:0.19:0.09, respectively. The mean gas production (ml/g DM) at t(1/2) and 24 h were 101.2 and 196.3 respectively, whereas the TDOM (mg/g DM) at the corresponding incubations were 578.6 and 657.5. Similarly, mean partitioning factor (PF) at t(1/2) (5.87) was significantly (P < 0.0001) higher than at 24 h (3.37). The MB (mg/g DM) in the apparent undigested residue in the incubations was 172.8 and 100.0 at t(1/2) and 24 h, whereas the RNA equivalents (mg/g DM) for the corresponding incubations were 9.69 and 7.45, respectively. However, the ratio of RNA: MB at t(1/2) and 24 h were 0.0581 and 0.0808, respectively (P=0.0257). The disproportionate increase in gas production against the increase in TDOM at 24 h compared to at tin with similar fermentation stoichiometry at both incubations is explainable by the unfermented OM at t(1/2) that is solubilized by the ND extraction, thereby contributing to TDOM. Thus the artifact caused by solubilization of unfermented OM at t(1/2) could equal to or greater than the artifact caused by microbial lysis up to 24 h incubation. It is concluded that, for protein feedstuffs, the t(1/2) may not be the most appropriate time for determination of PF as an index of microbial biomass synthesis efficiency.

The present study was undertaken to determine the prevalence of leptospires in field rats in and around laboratory animal facilities in Bangalore. 34 rats were trapped alive in and around the laboratory animal facilities in Bangalore. Urine and serum samples from theses field rats were collected. Serum samples were tested for anti-leptospiral antibodies by microscopic agglutination test, while urine samples were subjected for dark field microscopy and polymerase chain reaction to detect the presence of leptospiral antigens. Serology revealed the presence of antileptospiral antibodies in 19 (61.29 percent) field rats and dark field microscopy revealed the presence of leptospiral antigens in 3 (8.82 percent) and 6 (17.65 percent) of urine samples of these field rats. Among the serovars, Icterohaemorrhagiae was predominant followed by Autumnalis and Pyrogens. Serology dark field microscopy and polymerase chain reaction reveals that field rats are major natural carriers and shedders of leptospires.

Due to the recent expansion of the motor fuel ethanol industry, which is largely based upon traditional food and feed crops, supplies of ruminant feeds have become limited in many areas of the world thereby creating a need for alternatives. Rice straw, a substantial biomass source worldwide, could fill this role if its nutritional value was higher. Our aims were to determine changes in the nutritive value of rice straw during long term storage, and short term field drying, as well as the voluntary DM intake of rice straw by heifers before, during and immediately after field drying. In Experiment I, rice straw was macerated and stored for 82 days after baling, but there was no effect on chemical components or 30h in vitro fermentability of neutral detergent fiber (NDF) due to maceration or storage time. In Experiment II, samples of a late maturity tall (M401) and an early maturity short (M202) rice straw variety were collected prior to harvest, during simulated field drying and when fully dried. The M401 had higher acid detergent fiber (473 versus 445g/kg dry matter (DM); P<0.01), lignin(sa) (38 versus 34g/kg DM; P<0.01), total Si (55.0 versus 43.0g/kg DM; P<0.01) and Si in NDF (372 versus 270g/kg DM of total Si; P=0.01). The M202 produced 14.4, 10.6 and 9.1% more gas than the taller M401 at 4, 24 and 72h of in vitro fermentation, respectively. Fresh plants produced 6.8, 15.6 and 8.9% more gas than plants collected during simulated field drying and as dry plants at 4, 24 and 72h of in vitro fermentation, respectively. In Experiment III, voluntary DM intake of rice plants was measured at the same three stages (i.e., fresh, during simulated field drying, dry), and results were consistent with Experiment II, in that DM intake of fresh plants was higher than plants during both simulated field drying and when dry (5.14 versus 4.13 versus 3.69kg DM/day; P<0.01). That long term storage of straw after baling did not impact levels of its chemical components or 30h in vitro fermentability of NDF, but gas production of fresh plants was higher than that of plants during simulated field drying and when fully dried, supports the hypothesis that the much higher voluntary DM intake potential of fresh rice plants occurred due to changes during field drying that reduced its fermentability. It seems certain that this depressed DM intake was related to the decrease in fermentability of dry versus fresh plants, although the cause of the reduced fermentability is not clear. However analyses of Si levels in the detergent fiber fractions provided indications that the location of the Si in the structural carbohydrates may be important in this regard.

Experiments which used crossbred cows and heifers, from peer review publications originating from the Karnataka Veterinary, Animal and Fisheries Sciences University (Bidar) and Veterinary College (Bengaluru) in India were used to determine if ruminal microbial N (MN) supply could be predicted based upon the partitioning factor (PF, mg in vitro true digested organic matter: ml gas) of the diets fed to the cattle, their rate of gas production in vitro (k, /h,) as well as the neutral detergent fibre (NDFom) and crude protein levels of the diets. The MN supply to the duodenum was quantified based on allantoin excretion in urine. The five published experiments included 15 treatment groups. Multiple correlation analysis showed that the quadratic component of diet NDFom (P=0.02) and the linear (P<0.01) and quadratic (P<0.01) components of diet k (i.e., r(2) = 0.87) predicted supply of microbial N (MN) to the duodenum according to the equation: MN (g/kg ADOM) = -25.7 + (1402*k) - (10177.4*k(2)) - (0.0000163*NDFom(2)) [SEP = 0.81], where k is in unit/h and NDFom is g/kg DM. Residuals of predicted versus actual MN values showed equal distribution. Changes in predicted values of MN were judged to be consistent with our understanding of their function in the rumen, as well as quantitatively consistent with published values determined in vivo. Overall, according to the prediction equation, supply of MN increases with increasing low levels of NDFom in the diet, but is maximized at all dietary NDFom levels with a dietary in vitro rate of gas production of 0.065-0.070/h. Results support utilizing in vitro rate of gas production in diet formulation, but not PF, although research with higher production ruminants is warranted. (C) 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Effects of varying the partitioning factor (PF, mg in vitro true digested organic matter: ml gas) and in vitro rate of gas production (k, h(-1)) of diets fed to crossbred dairy cows on intake, digestibility, an efficiency measurement of production of microbial N (MN) supplied to the duodenum, as well as milk production and composition, were determined using four cows in a 2 x 2 factorial design within a 4 x 4 Latin square design experiment. Differences among diets in PF and k were created by changes in the maize grain to wheat bran ratio of the supplemental concentrates, and by cooking the maize grain. Retrospective evaluation of the diets which were fed revealed that the desired differences among treatments in PF were attained, but that desired differences among treatments in k were not fully met (likely due to a lower than expected k of the wheat bran), meaning that diets designed to have a lower k were actually diets with a lower (P<0.01) neutral detergent fibre (NDFom) content (444 versus 510 g/kg dry matter (DM)). Regardless, PF level (3.55 versus 3.70 mg TDOM/ml gas) and NDFom levels of the diets had no impact on intake of DM, organic matter (OM), crude protein (CP) and NDFom, or whole tract digestion of OM, CP and NDFom. The N balance and milk production, as well as body weight changes, were similarly uninfluenced, as was supply of MN. While overall treatment means could not be used to examine impacts of k on response parameter differences, due to actual k values differing from formulated values, differences among the four diets in k did occur, thereby allowing correlation analysis to be completed, especially relative to MN supply to the duodenum. This evaluation suggested that increasing rate, and also PF, had no impact on MN supply. Results demonstrate the difficulty in successfully achieving diets with desired PF and k values, and in achieving diets with ranges in PF, but that changes in diet PF and k had no substantive impact on intake, digestion, N balance, milk production or MN supply to the duodenum. While these results do not support use of PF or k in diet formulation for ruminants, it is possible that the inevitable dietary changes that occurred concomitant with changes in PF and k obscured their impacts. (C) 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

We have developed and demonstrated a technique for optical excitation of mechanical resonance that does not require coherent, monochromatic, or time-varying light. Previous methods for optically exciting mechanical motion in microscale devices required monochromatic, coherent light or time varying light. This technology could allow sunlight (or other ambient light source) to drive a MEMS device. It could also be used to convert sunlight to mechanical energy and subsequently to electrical energy through piezoelectric or capacitive techniques, essentially a micromechanical analog to the photovoltaic cell. We have demonstrated this method of optical excitation of a MEMS cantilever using simple cantilever beam structures fabricated using Sandia National Laboratories’ SUMMiT V™ process. The bimorph structure was created with polysilicon and aluminum. The minimum power to induce resonance was 3.5–4 mW of optical power incident on the cantilever under a vacuum of less than 1 mTorr. Resonance was observed at 45.6 kHz (slightly less than the 48.5 kHz predicted by FEA).

Effects of diets (finger millet straw (FMS) and concentrate supplement (CS) differing in their in vitro determined rate of fermentation (k) on total DM intake, nutrient digestibility and nitrogen metabolism were studied in crossbred dairy cows. The two diets, viz high k (0.081/h) and low k (0.065/h), were formulated to be iso-energetic and iso-nitrogenous. Six crossbred cows were divided into two groups of three based on body weight, milk yield and days in lactation. Diets consisted of ad libitum access to finger millet straw and concentrate. The experiment was completed in two periods in a switch-over design, with each period lasting 6 weeks with a 6 day metabolism trial at the end of each period. Intake (kg/d) of DM, organic matter (OM) and CP for the two groups did not differ, and the digestibility (g/kg DM consumed) of OM and CP for the two groups also did not differ. The N retained in both groups were similar (8.0 g/d), and urinary allantoin excretion (mmol/d) in the High k diet was 170.0 vs. 131.0 in the Low k diet (P=0.05). Calculated microbial N supply to the duodenum (g/d) was also higher (P=0.05) in the High k (136) vs. Low k (112) diet. These findings suggest that the higher in vitro measured k, tends to increase rumen microbial growth efficiency.