Five feeding studies were conducted with 141 lactating Holstein cows comparing macerated and control alfalfa silage harvested at two cuttings in each of 2 yr. Overall, silage made from macerated alfalfa contained more ash (suggesting improved soil contamination); greater fiber and lower nonprotein nitrogen (NPN) content suggested greater fermentation in the silo. In a digestion study, two diets...

Previously (J. Liu, et al., Cell Growth Differ., 8: 667-676, 1997), we showed that oncostatin M (OM), a cytokine produced by activated T cells and macrophages, inhibited the proliferation of breast cancer cells derived from solid tumors and malignant effusions. OM-treated cells showed reduced growth rates and differentiated phenotypes. Because the p53 tumor suppressor protein plays an important...

The aim of the present study was to investigate the effects of di-sodium fumarate (DSF) and thyme essential oil (TEO) solely and simultaneously on ruminal fermentation properties and microbial abundance. A dual-flow continuous culture system (DFCC) with eight 1400-mL fermenters was used in a period of 12 d that divided to 9 d for adaptation and 3 d for sampling. Fermenters were fed 100 g d...

Thirty five growing male goats (6.98±0.86 kg BW) were divided into five equal groups with seven animals in each group. The five dietary treatments were consisted of varying proportions of Moringa foliage (Moringa oleifera) and napier grass (Pennisetum purpurium); T1 (100% Moringa foliage); T2 (75% Moringa foliage+25% napier grass); T3 (50% Moringa foliage+50% napier grass); T4 (25% Moringa foli...

Grass silages (n = 136) were selected from commercial farms across Northern Ireland according to their pH, ammonia nitrogen, DM, and predicted ME concentration. Each silage was offered to four sheep as a sole feed at maintenance feeding level to determine nutrient digestibility and urinary energy output. Dry matter concentration was determined as alcohol-corrected toluene DM and was subsequentl...

The objectives were to compare the effect of exogenous fibrolytic enzyme (Biocellulase A20) or anhydrous ammonia (4% DM) treatment on the nutritive value, voluntary intake, and digestion kinetics of bermudagrass (Cynodon dactylon cultivar Coastal) hay harvested after 2 maturities (5- and 13-wk regrowths). Six individually housed, ruminally cannulated Brangus steers (BW 325 ± 10 kg) were used in...

The vertical distribution of biomass, chemical composition (crude protein (CP); neutral detergent ®bre (NDF); acid detergent ®bre (ADF); acid detergent lignin (ADL); total soluble carbohydrates (TSC)) and organic matter digestibility estimated from pepsin-cellulase (PCOMD) of a perennial ryegrass sward was studied under strip-grazing management. Measurements were carried out during three grazin...

Four Holstein steers (282 kg) with cannulas in the rumen and proximal duodenum were used in a 4 x 4 Latin square experiment to evaluate the influence of dietary urea level (0, 0.4, 0.8, and 1.2%, DM basis) in a steam-flaked barley-based finishing diet on digestive function. There were no treatment effects (P > 0.20) on ruminal digestion of OM and ADF. Increasing dietary urea level increased (li...

The objective of this experiment was to determine the effects of feeding different levels of alkaline hydrogen peroxide-treated wheat straw (AHP-WS) in the diet on feed intake, nutrient digestion, ruminal fermentation, and production responses in mid-lactation dairy cows. Eight Holstein cows, averaging 147 d postpartum, were used in two replications of a 4 x 4 Latin square design. Complete mixe...