The purpose of this experiment was to study the effects of silage type (ST) and levels of silage particle size (SPS) on feed intake, digestibility, rumen parameters, and feed intake behavior in Kermani sheep. Corn and millet crops were cultivated in May and harvested into coarse and fine forages in mid-September. Four rams (two years old, BW 39.2±3.1 kg) were randomly assigned to four treatments in a 2×2 factorial arrangements in a Latin square design. The experimental diets were coarse corn silage diet; short corn silage diet; coarse millet silage diet and short millet silage diet. Diets were iso-nitrogenous and iso-energetic, and the ratio of forage to concentrate was 50:50. The potential of gas production was higher in corn silage (CS) than millet silage (MS) (P<0.03) and coarse SPS than short SPS (P<0.02). The dry matter (DM), organic matter (OM) and crude protein (CP) intakes were higher in short SPS diets while DM, OM and neutral detergent fiber (NDF) digestibility were higher in CS diets (76.26, 73.43 and 58.71%, respectively), while the CP digestibility was higher in short SPS diets (74.98%). The mean ruminal pH value was lower in CS diets (P<0.05). The mean ruminal ammonia nitrogen (NH3-N) concentration was higher in CS and short SPS diets. Microbial protein (MP) synthesis was higher in short SPS diets (P<0.05). Chewing activity was higher in MS and short SPS diets (P<0.05). The results indicated the higher quality of CS, although MS can be safely fed to small ruminants such.

Background and objectives: In Iran, corn silage is an important part of ruminant forage. Mechanical processing of corn forage can improve the properties of corn silage. In this process, chopped fodder is processed using toothed rollers. In this way, it is increased the digestibility of starch and cell wall. Barley starch has a fast ruminal fermentation, and while increasing the production of microbial protein, it can cause an increase in the incidence of digestive abnormalities in ruminants. Neutral detergent fiber (NDF) of sugar beet pulp are very digestible. This study was conducted in order to investigate the effect of two processing levels of corn silage and barley grain and sugar beet pulp on silage quality, feed intake, digestibility of nutrients, rumen parameters and feed intake behavior of Kermani sheep. Materials and methods: In this research, four 2-year-old Kermani lambs with an average weight of 42 ± 2.8 kg were used in a 2x2 factorial experiment in the form of a Latin square design in four periods of 21 days. The experimental diets were: 1)processed corn silage + concentrate with barley seeds, 2)processed corn silage + concentrate with sugar beet pulp, 3)unprocessed corn silage + concentrate with barley seeds, 4)unprocessed corn silage + concentrate with sugar beet pulp. The daily feed was distributed in two equal portions on 8/00 and 18/00. Research data were stored in Excel software and statistically analyzed with SAS software.Results: Silage processing decreased the percentage of dry matter (DM) and NDF, increased NH3-N, pH (4.42 and 4.04, respectively, P=0.02) and sensory evaluation (15 and 18, respectively, P=0.02) score of silage. feed intake was higher in the processed silage diets and the diet with barley grain. The digestibility of organic matter (OM) and NDF was higher in the diet containing sugar beet pulp. Ruminal NH3-N (mg/dL) (21.17 and 22.81, respectively, P=0.02) was higher in diets containing processed silage at two and eight hours after feeding, and it was lower in diets containing sugar beet pulp at 6 hours after feeding. The pH of the rumen fluid in the diet containing sugar beet pulp with processed silage was significantly higher than in other experimental diets at eight hours after feeding (P=0.01, 6.92),. The population of rumen protozoa was higher in the unprocessed silage and barley grain diets. feed intake time was higher in unprocessed silage diets. However, the most rumination time was related to sheep fed processed silage diets. The highest chewing time was in barley seeds diets.Conclusion: Although corn fodder processing caused a decrease in the sensory evaluation score in the processed silages, it caused an increase in DM intake and OM intake in diets containing this type of silage. The effect of processing silage on animal responses were greater than the effect of barley grain or sugar beet pulp on these responses. It is recommended to process corn fodder with dry matter of about 30 percent.

This research was designed to compare the effect of processing corn silage, and barley and corn grains on feed intake, digestibility and rumen parameters in sheep. Eight Kermani lambs were used with average weight of 53.2±4.1 kg. The experiment was carried out as 2×2 factorial design in the form of a Latin square design in four periods of 21 days. A part of chopped corn forage was processed. Silages were prepared from processed and unprocessed forage in nylon bags. The experimental diets were 1. Diet with 30% processed silage with barley grain, 2 .Diet with 30% processed silage with corn grain, 3. Diet with unprocessed silage with Barley grain and 4. Diet with unprocessed silage with corn grain. Physical processing of corn forage increased the pH of silage, but the sensory evaluation score decreased (P=0.01). The dry matter (DM) intake was higher in diets containing processed silage (1.96 vs 1.82 kg, P<0.04). The digestibility of organic matter (OM) was higher in the corn grain diet and the diet with processed silage. The feed intake and the rumen pH levels were lower in processed silage diets and ammonia nitrogen concentration was lower in the processed silage with barley grain diet (P<0.05) eight hours after feeding. The time of feed intake and rumination were higher in unprocessed silage diets. In general, the processing of corn forage increased the DM intake and increased the OM and protein digestibility in sheep. The effect of grain types on animal responses was less than processing levels.

In order to study the effect of Tsukamurella inchonensis bacterin on feed conversion ratio in broiler chickens, a total of 140 day-old broiler chicks were purchased and and 20 chicks were bled for determination maternal antibody and remaining chicks divided randomly into 4 equal groups and each group divided into 3 equal subgroups. Chickens of group A received 106 bacterin subcutaneously on 2 days before vaccination against influenza disease. Chickens of group B received 106 bacterin subcutaneously on 6 days after the first injection of bacterin. Chickens of group C received 106 bacterin subcutaneously on 6 days after the second injection of bacterin. Chickens of group D, vaccinated against influenza disease but did not receive bacterin. Mean feed intake, weight gains, and feed conversion ratio of all groups were determined at 21, and 42 days. The results of present study showed that there was not any significant difference between groups that received Tsukamurella inchonensis bacterin compared to control group. Comparison of chicks weight gains showed that there was significant difference between all groups during 21-42 days, and 0-42 days. Comparison of chicks feed intake showed that there was significant difference between all groups during 0-21 days, 21-42 days, and 0-42 days.

In this study the role of the glutamatergic system on feed intake in 24-hour-feed-deprived broiler cockerels was investigated. ICV injection of 0, 0.675, 1.25, and 2.5 nmol of glutamate reduced feed intake dose-dependently, and increased the latency time to start feeding.Pretreatment with 2.5 nmol HQCA, an ionotropic glutamate antagonist resulted in both an increase in feed intake and a decrease in latency of birds to start feeding. Pretreatment with 2nmol of MSPG, a metabotropic glutamate receptor antagonist, severely reduced feed intake and increased the latency to start feeding. These findings suggest, for the first time, that glutamate, acting as a neurotransmitter, is involved in feed intake regulation in broiler cockerels. This effect is probably mediated by both ionotropic and metabotropic receptors. It appears that both postsynaptic and presynaptic glutamate receptors are involved.

This experiment was conducted to determine the effect of feeding alfalfa hay and starter fiber level on feed intake and performance of Holstein dairy calves, using thirty two male calves in a completely randomized design assigned to four diets in a 2×2 factorial arrangement. The experimental treatments were as follow: T1: starter with low fiber and without alfalfa hay, T2: starter with low fiber along with alfalfa hay, T3: starter with high fiber and without alfalfa hay and T4: starter with high fiber along with alfalfa hay. Results showed feed intake was not significantly different in pre-weaning and throughout the study but after weaning there was significant difference among treatments. Average daily gain of calves was not significantly different during pre-weaning period but during post-weaning and throughout the study there was significant difference among treatments for this trait. feed efficiency was not significantly different among treatments in pre-weaning and post-weaning periods but it was significantly different during throughout the study. The results of this experiment showed adding fiber to dairy calves ration through both starter concentrate and alfalfa hay may reduce their performance.

The objective of this study was to test whether the stimuli of osmotic pressure (OP), VFA or pH in the omasum would affect the passage of digesta from the rumen and feed intake in sheep. Five experements were carried out. Different solutions with specific, OP, VFA concentration and pH were infused into the omasal body. Rumen digesta volumes and outflow rates (liquid and solid) were measured by pulse dosing of liquid and solid marker into the rumen. feed intake, solid and liquid outflow rates from the reticulorumen were (not always significant) reduced by increasing the (OP) of the infusate in the range of 400 to 2000 mOsmol/kg which gave calculated omasal OP up to 480 mOsmol/kg (perfect mixing with digesta was assumed). feed intake and fractional ruminal liquid outflow rate were significantly increased by increasing VFA concentration of infusate in the range of 50 to 250 mMol/l or calculated omasal VFA concentrations up to 150 mOsmol/kg with the suggestion of a decrease above this range. pH in the range of 5.0 to 7.0 was without effect. Serum OP was not affected by any infusate. There was no or only a weak response to abomasal infusion compared with omasal infusion when the same infusate was used. The study demonstrated that omasum responds to changes in the composition of digesta. Increasing OP reduced DMI (dry matter intake) and reduced digesta outflow from the reticulo-rumen. Increasing VFA concentration increased DMI and liquid outflow, high VFA concentration decreased DMI and liquid outflow rate. It can be concluded that omasum has a role in the control of digesta outflow from the rumen.

The opioidergic system plays a critical role in feed intake, among other physiological functions. This study investigated the potential effects of the opioidergic system, leucine and its interaction with the central regulation of feed intake in broilers. 108 one-day-old Ross 308 broiler chickens in six groups, each with three replicates (n=6) have been used. A guiding cannula was implanted into the right lateral cerebral ventricle. Seven days later, leucine (2 µg), morphine (250 pmol), naloxone (5 µg), morphine + leucine combination (250 pmol +2 µg), naloxone + leucine combination (5 µg + 2 µg), and normal saline were injected intra-cerebro-ventricularly (ICV) (injection volume = 10 μl, n = 6, each with three duplicates). The cumulative feed intake was measured at 30, 60, 90, 120, 180, and 240minutes post injection. Naloxone increased feed intake, whereas both leucine and morphine significantly reduced it (p<0.05). ICV injection of morphine increased the inhibitory effect of leucine on feed intake (p<0.05). Additionally, within the first 60 min post injection, the combination of leucine and naloxone increased feed intake (p>0.05), whereas naloxone mitigated the inhibitory effect of leucine during the same period (p>0.05). The feed intake remained significantly decreased up to 240 minutes following the ICV injection of the combination of leucine and naloxone (p<0.05). Leucine appears to decrease feed intake through mechanisms involving glutamate and neuropeptide Y.