Whole soybean has 19 percent ether extract and 42 percent CP and is used as a high energy-protein supplement for early lactation dairy cows, but the protein is highly degradable, so small amounts of amino acids can reach the small intestine to meet high amino acid requirements in early lactation. Therefore, various chemical and physical treatments have been suggested to decrease ruminal protein degradability. The practical use and application of any one method to lower ruminal feed degradability is dependent not only on its efficacy but also on its cost effectiveness, safety and ease of application. For these reasons, heat treatment is the most commonly used physical method. Energy expenditure and fixed costs are lower for roasting than for oven treatment, thereby warranting further research on this type of heat treatment (Plegge et al., 1985). The purpose of this study was to determine how roasting of soybeans affect Met and Lys plasma levels (as the first limiting amino acids in milk yield) in early lactation cows.

The introduction of the Single Farm Payment support system sees a change from headage to area payments. The removal of the Beef Special Premium for steers is likely to see a move towards either 12-15 month intensive finishing systems or low input extensive grass based 24-30 month finishing systems. Late maturing breed type cattle reared on the latter system may however require a 2-3 month intensive finishing period to achieve adequate fat cover. With falling cereal prices there is increased interest in their use in beef cattle rations. Antibiotic based feed additives e.g., monensin sodium, have been successfully used for over 40 years to manipulate microbial activity and improve beef cattle performance. The use of monensin sodium will be banned from January 2006 and there is therefore a requirement to find alternative ‘natural’ products that can improve the efficiency of beef production with intensive cereal based rations. Yeast cultures are composed of yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae ) and the medium on which it was grown. These products are dried in a manner which preserves the fermenting activity of the yeast. It is suggested that production responses associated with the use of live yeast culture supplements in ruminants may be related to their stimulatory effects on specific groups of micro-organisms in the rumen. The objective of this study was to determine the effect of feeding a live yeast culture (Yea-Sacc1026) on the performance of cereal fed beef cattle.

Dietary conjugated linoleic acids (CLA) offer significant health benefits for man, and ruminant products are the major dietary sources (Bauman et al., 2001). The synthesis of CLA in the ruminant animal occurs either directly in the rumen or in the tissue from trans -vaccenic acid (TVA), formed primarily as intermediate products of ruminal biohydrogenation of linoleic acid (C18:2) to stearic acid (C18:0). Within the rumen, the pattern of biohydrogenation and the products formed appear to differ between the particle rich and the liquid fractions of the rumen (Singh and Hawke, 1979), with biohydrogenation occurring primarily on small particles. The aim of this study was to investigate whether the pattern of CLA and TVA formation differs in these fractions.

Natural Zeolite are characterized by framework of linked tetra hydration enclosing open cavities in the form of channels, and cages which are commonly occupied by water molecules and cations (Tomlinson, 1998). Various applications of natural and synthetic zeolites in animal nutrition, and in other uses to cope with environmental problems are widely known (Sadeghi et al., 2004; Nikkhah and Sadeghi, 2004; Tomlinson, 1998). Heat processing changes the structure of this clay and makes it as a material with Cation Exchange and adsorption properties. To our knowledge, little information is available concerning the effect of thermally activated natural zeolite on plasma IgG1 concentration, and performance of Holstein calves from birth to 6-month ages. This study was conducted to determine the effect of T-zeolite on faecal score and performance of Holstein calves from birth to 6-month ages.

In ruminants, the protein value of a feedstuff is determined by the amount of amino acids from microbial protein and rumen undegraded dietary protein (UDP) absorbed in the small intestine. The requirement of UDP increases with the production level of the animal. This protein can be supplied by increasing the amount of dietary protein escaping degradation in the rumen. Various physical and chemical treatments have been used to alter the rate of ruminal degradation of soya bean meal (SBM) protein, thus increasing its post-ruminal availability. Recently Al-Asheh et al (2003) reported that thermally activated sodium bentonite (T-bentonite) has the potential to be used as a low cost sorbent since it is naturally available and has high surface area. We hypothesized that this clay can reduce degradation of SBM crude and true protein in the rumen. The main objectives of our research were to evaluate the degradation of untreated and T-bentonite treated SBM proteins by using SDS-PAGE and to determine effective rumen degradation (ERD) and intestinal digestibility of untreated and T-bentonite treated soya bean meal crude protein (CP).

In nutrition of dry cows use diets with low dietary cation-anion difference (DCAD) for preventing milk fever. Therefore, anionic salts are used for reduce DCAD of diet that are caused subacute metabolic acidosis and following stimulation of PTH and 1, 25(OH2) D3 and result to calcium reabsorbing from gut and its transition from bone, so calcium concentration of blood is increased. Anionic salts caused increase calcium excretion of urine and decreasing pH. The objective of the present study was to evaluate the effect of diets with different DCAD on physiological characteristics of Holstein heifers.

In the UK increasing economic pressure on milk producers has highlighted the need to identify key areas to optimise farm efficiency and profitability. The areas of dairy herd production diseases are a major concern and improvements made in reducing the incidence of disease will improve animal welfare and reduce costs (Kossaibati, M. A. and Esslemont, R. J., 1997)

Therefore the aim this research was to identify the training, advisory and research requirements of milk producers in the SW of England.

Digital dermatitis is one of the main causes of lameness in dairy cattle, possibly accounting for 25% of the reported cases of lameness (Watson, 1999). With lameness being attributed to reduced milk yields and increased calving intervals there are considerable economic implications and effective treatment and prevention regimes are essential. Topical antibiotic treatment is the most common method of treating digital dermatitis in the UK although there is currently only one product licensed for use (Terramycin spray, Pfizer Animal Health) which contains oxytetracycline. Although effective, there can be various problems (e.g. antibiotic resistance) associated with using antibiotics for the management of digital dermatitis meaning that a suitable prevention regime that uses a non-antibiotic solution instead would be desirable. One possible alternative is sodium chloride solution (salt water) which is hypertonic and would therefore cause the bacterial cells to dehydrate, inhibiting cell growth and multiplication. This trial aimed to investigate the effect of topical application of either oxytetracycline or sodium chloride solution on the pre-washed rear feet of cows for the prevention/treatment of digital dermatitis in dairy cattle.

A significantly greater percentage of lesions on the claws of the outer hind foot has been recorded and this has been linked to the foot and leg conformation of the cow. Claw measurements were compared to survival rates and locomotion scores (Boelling and Pollot, 1998), but few experiments looked at changes during the lactation period (Offer et al., 2000) in heifers housed in straw yards and compared them to changes in lesion scores. The aim of this experiment was to compare measurements of the front and hind claws to the incidence of lameness and the formation of lesions in the sole horn during the pre- and postpartum period in first lactation heifers housed in straw yards.

Tuberculosis (TB) is a chronic debilitating disease of man and animals caused by members of the genus Mycobacterium. TB is a major health problem with 8-9 million new cases a year in the world and 3 million deaths (WHO, 2002), and the majority of these are in developing nations. Infection due to due to M. bovis was once a major problem in developed countries but following eradication programmes, the incidence reduced to the extent that some areas are now free of the disease (Caffery, 1994). However, the infection continues in developing countries due to lack of rigorous control measures. In Nigeria there have been limited studies to determine the prevalence/relationship between bovine and human TB especially with the eating culture of ‘fura da nono’ i.e. unpasteurized milk. Abuja is the new capital of Nigeria with the population of 4 million continues to increase due to the influx of people from all states of the federation. The number of people diagnosed with TB is also on the increase. The semi forest vegetation of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) also encourages migration of Fulani nomads in search of green area for their animals. The objective of this study was to determine the prevalence of bovine and human TB in the capital as well as to establish whether there is a link between animal and human TB.

Neonatal calves are born with no immunoglobulins (Igs) in the blood stream and rely on Ig from colostrum through passive immunity transfer. Unfortunately, transfer of passive immunity to neonatal calves is too often inadequate, resulting in excessive rates of morbidity and mortality. Natural zeolite is characterized by framework of linked tetra hydration enclosing open cavities in the form of channels, and cages with ion exchanger and adsorption capacity. In literature, there were reported that thermally activated natural zeolite (T-zeolite) could increase colostral IgG absorption and decrease susceptibility of neonates to infections (Sadeghi et al., 2004; Stojic et al., 1995). To our knowledge, little information is available concerning the effect of thermally activated natural zeolite on colostral IgG1, IgM and IgA absorption in neonates. Our experiment was designed to investigate the effect of thermally activated natural zeolite on colostral IgG1, IgM and IgA absorption in newborn Holstein calves.

Dietary sodium bicarbonate or sodium bentonite has been used in lactating cow diets to aid ration adjustment. Addition of sodium bicarbonate increased intake and milk production for cows fed high concentrate diets in the first two months after parturition (Erdman et al., 1980). Addition of dietary buffers such as sodium bicarbonate and sodium bentonite increased molar percentage of acetate and reduced propionate in dairy cows. Milk fat percentage was increased by sodium bicarbonate in dairy cows when fed low roughage diets (Erdman, 1988). The objective of the present study was to investigate the effect of sodium bicarbonate or sodium bentonite in diets of high yielding dairy cows on milk yield, milk composition, and faecal pH.

Cooperia punctata is the most prevalent parasitic intestinal nematode in Brazil and its site of fixation is duodenum and jejunum that are also the sites of greatest dietary phosphorus (P) absorption. Studies of phosphorus metabolism often involves balance trials and use of isotopes. When combined with mathematical modeling, calculation of flows between several pools becomes a possibility. The objective of the study on calves employing isotope and balance techniques was to apply and compare two models of P metabolism for resolving data generated by these techniques.

Cooperia punctata is the most prevalent intestinal parasite in young bovines in Brazil (Lima, 1998). The site of fixation of C. punctata is the upper part of the small intestine (Bailey, 1949), also the site of dietary phosphorus (P) absorption (Schröder et al, 1995), and the damage caused in the intestinal epithelium could interfere with P metabolism (Bown et al, 1989). The aim of the present experiment was to evaluate the P kinetics by using 32P isotopic dilution technique in calves submitted to single and trickle infection by C. punctata.

Currently, there is no specific in vitro technique for the estimation of digestibility of feedstuffs for horses. The most common technique used is based on the two stage method of Tilley and Terry (1963). As this technique aims to simulate the digestive processes of a ruminant, its suitability for application to the monogastric equines needs to be considered. This was one objective of the current study. The other objective was to develop a low tech faecal liquor procedure based on Omed et al. (1989) method to obviate the need for fistulated animals.

Anti nutritional factors in tropical legumes are very common and the chemical analysis for tannins has become an important tool to evaluate alternative ruminant feeds in the tropics. However, frequently results from tannin chemical analysis are not in agreement with biological response when animals are fed those feeds. There is a lack of information concerning the biological effects (activity or reactivity) of tannins on ruminants. Usually the effects of tannins are tested in vitro by adding compounds with capacity of biding tannins. The aim of this work was to compare two binding compounds to evaluate the effect of tannins of tanniniferous feeds for ruminants.

Tannins are secondary compounds that can bind protein and other nutrients and reduce their availability to the animals. Polyethylene glycol (PEG) has a great affinity with tannins and when it is added to the feed it is bound to tannins and releases the protein and other nutrients. There is no information about the amount of PEG that is needed to obtain the maximum precipitation of tannin and the minimum tannin effect. Some assays are conduced using doses of PEG according to the tannin content, but the activity of tannins can vary and this imply that the tannin analysis has to be done prior. The aim of this work was to evaluate doses of polyethylene glycol to minimize the effect of tannins on rumen fermentation.

The chemical determination of tannins has become inefficient to predict the negative effects in nutritional parameters. Apparently, different tannins have distinct activity (or reactivity) resulting in anti nutritional effects. The objective of this work was to test three compounds to establish a curve of biological equivalent effect of tannins using the in vitro gas production technique.

Brazil has arid regions where livestock production is limited by forage source. However, some native herbaceous browses have a dry tolerance and had been used as animal feed. Some of those plants have anti nutritional compounds such as tannins that can interfere on intake and digestibility. Tannins have a high affinity to proteins and could make these molecules unavailable for animal. Compounds as polyethylene glycol (PEG) has been used on tannin studies, because it has more affinity with tannins than proteins. Based on that, it is possible to evaluate the nutritive potential of tanniniferous plants, using PEG in gas based techniques for assessing anti nutritional factors in tanniniferous plants for ruminants. The aim of this work was to investigate the effects of different treatments (oven-, shade- and sun-drying and treatment with urea) on phenolics compounds and on the biological activity of tannins using the in vitro gas method with the addition of polyethylene glycol (PEG).

It is known that some forage trees have potential defaunating capacity, as rumen protozoa population is reduced when ruminant are feed with them (Odenyo et al., 1997ª,b). The effect has been attributed to saponins (Diaz et al., 1992) and tannins (Odenyo et al., 1997a,b). It is also known that PEG binds to tannins and has been used to reduce the deleterious effect found in animals feed tanniferous trees (Makkar et al., 1998). However, to our knowledge it has not been studied if using PEG to increase digestibility will, on the other hand, affect the defaunating capacity of the tree. The objective of the present study was to develop a simple technique to screen forage trees for defaunation capacity and to assess if PEG could be used to overcome this effect.