Solid Feed (solid + feed)

Distribution by Scientific Domains


Selected Abstracts


Comparison of total tract digestibility, development of visceral organs and digestive tract of Mong cai and Yorkshire × Landrace piglets fed diets with different fibre sources

JOURNAL OF ANIMAL PHYSIOLOGY AND NUTRITION, Issue 2 2009
N. T. Len
Summary The aim of the study was to evaluate the effects of piglet age and dietary fibre source on the development of visceral organs and the gastrointestinal tract (GIT), and on growth performance and total tract apparent digestibility (TTAD) in local [pure-breed Mong cai (MC)] and exotic [Landrace × Yorkshire (LY)] piglets. The experimental diets contained different fibre sources: C (basal diet), RB (basal diet + rice bran), SPVM (basal diet + sweet potato vine meal) and CReM (basal diet + cassava residue meal). The neutral detergent fibre (NDF) content in diet C and the fibrous diets was 8.8% and 17.1%,17.7% respectively (dry matter basis). Collection of faecal samples to determine TTAD was carried out for five consecutive days before the experiment was finished (63 days). The piglets were killed at the age of 10 days (before being given the same solid feed), 30 days (weaning, 20 days after solid feed introduced) and 63 days (33 days after being given the different fibrous diets) when the length of intestinal segments, weight of organs (liver, heart, kidneys) and empty weight of the GIT (stomach, small intestine, caecum and colon + rectum) were measured. As the age of animals increased, the relative weight of organs and the length of intestines (expressed on a mass-specific basis) decreased (p < 0.05), and the weight of GIT increased (p < 0.001). The piglets fed fibrous diets had heavier GIT than those fed diet C with the highest values in CReM (p < 0.05). The colon + rectum length was not significantly different among C, RB and SPVM, but was shorter than in CReM (p < 0.05). Coefficient of total tract apparent digestibility (CTTAD) of nutrients in the fibrous diets was lower than in C (p < 0.01). Average daily gain (ADG) and feed conversion ratio (FCR) in C, RB and CReM were not different and were better than in SPVM (p < 0.01). There were no significant differences in the weights of organs between the two breeds at day 10, 30 and 63 (p > 0.05). The weight and length of GIT were not significantly different between the two breeds at day 10 and day 30, but were greater for MC at day 63. The caecum and colon + rectum at 10 and 30 days were longer in MC than in LY (p < 0.001). The relative development of GIT post-weaning was higher than pre-weaning, the difference being most apparent in MC. As a result at 63 days, MC had heavier visceral organs and GIT, and longer intestines on fibrous diets than LY (p < 0.05). The MC at 63 days had higher CTTAD of organic matter, gross energy, crude fibre and NDF (p < 0.001) and ether extract and crude protein (p < 0.05), but lower ADG and poorer FCR than LY (p < 0.001). It can be concluded that the GIT of the MC piglets developed more rapidly than LY when they were introduced to solid feed, and that the difference was more marked on the fibrous diets and after weaning, which resulted in higher total tract digestibility of nutrients in MC compared with LY. Cassava residue meal was better digested than RB and SPVM, and supported higher live weight gains. [source]


Effect of weaning on behavior and serum parameters in dairy goat kids

ANIMAL SCIENCE JOURNAL, Issue 4 2008
Cengiz ATASOGLU
ABSTRACT This study aimed at investigating the effects of weaning kids abruptly at an average of 55 ± 13 days of age on intake, behavioral and serum parameters and, lasted for a total of six weeks; two weeks pre-weaning and four weeks post-weaning. Sixteen single kids with equal gender were used. Kids were only allowed to stay with their mothers for suckling (45 min/period) both in the morning and in the evening period during pre-weaning. Grower concentrate and hay were offered ad libitum. The duration of the study was divided into three periods for the sampling of behavioral and serum parameters; (i) pre-weaning period lasting for two weeks (P-BW) (ii) early post-weaning period lasting for one week (P-AW1) and (iii) late post-weaning period lasting for three weeks (P-AW2). Daily weight gain of kids gradually decreased as the observation period progressed (P = 0.001). However concentrate feed intake increased from 0.154 kg/day in P-BW to 0.479 kg/day in P-AW1 and 0.499 kg/day in P-AW2. Water intake, rumination and standing behaviors decreased in P-AW2 (P < 0.001), whereas activity towards concentrate feed (CF) (P < 0.001) and roughage (P = 0.012) increased as compared to P-BW and P-AW1. Abnormal oral activity was not affected by the periods (P = 0.906). CF was significantly higher in females (P = 0.003), whereas males displayed higher lying behavior (P = 0.007). Glucose, total protein, urea, cholesterol, HDL-cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol concentrations (P = 0.001) and ALP activity (P = 0.003) were significantly affected by the periods. The results of the present study suggest that behavioral and serum parameters across the periods describe changes in the nutritional conditions as a result of the transition from milk to solid feed in association with weaning. [source]


Mixing immiscible blends in an intermeshing counter-rotating twin screw extruder

ADVANCES IN POLYMER TECHNOLOGY, Issue 2 2006
Ramesh Potluri
Abstract Domain size of 10% dispersed polystyrene in polyethylene was followed in a 34-mm intermeshing counter-rotating twin screw extruder. Variables studied included the effects of barrel temperature, screw speed, viscosity ratio of dispersed-to-continuous phase, and parallel melt versus preblended solids feeds. After steady state was achieved, die samples were quenched for later photomicrographing. The extruder was then stopped and quenched, with subsequent pulling of the screws. From 7 to 12 additional samples were taken along the 18/1 L/D extruder for determination of the mechanism of dispersion and dispersed phase domain size by optical microscopy. At low temperatures, the polystyrene tended to fracture with sharp edges. The fine particles formed in the initial breakup underwent no further size reduction. At higher temperatures, fractured segments had rounder edges, but the size of the small domains remained constant throughout the axial length. There was some evidence of flocculation and coalescence prior to exit through the die. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Adv Polym Techn 25: 81,89, 2006; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/adv.20065 [source]