Evaluation of Provenance Variation in Condensed Tannin Content of Fresh Leaves of Calliandra calothyrsus

Premaratne, S.,Perera, H.G.D. Asian Australasian Association of Animal Productio 1999 Animal Bioscience Vol.12 No.6

A field experiment was conducted with Calliandra calothyrsus of fifteen provenances to evaluate the variation in the condensed tannin content of fresh leaves. Plants were raised in a nursery for three months and planted in the field. Experimental design was line planting of double hedgerows (3 m long plot, 1/2 meter interval, 45 plants in each plot) with 5 replicates. Plants were lopped every 5 months and samples (10 different plants within a plot; 4 newly flushed leaves, 4 partially expanded leaves and 4 mature full expanded leaves from each of 10 trees in a plot) were collected and were put on ice before transfer to the laboratory. Proanthocyanidine was extracted in aqueous acetone, and total extractable proanthcyanidine (TEPA) and total proanthocyanidine (TOPA) were measured. In addition, proximate analyses were made of different provenances. Crude protein contents varied from 19.74% to 16.45%; in vitro organic matter digestibility ranged from 36.09% to 23.32%. TEPA content ranged from 11.22 to 16.01 (measured as absorbance at $550nm,\;g^{-1}$ DM) and TOPA from 24.57 to 31.72 (measured as absorbance at $550nm,\;g^{-1}$ DM) TEPA and TOPA had a positive correlation, whereas crude protein content of Calliandra was negatively correlated with TEPA and TOPA. Provenances, such as Georgesville (Belize), local, Coban (Guatemala), Patulul (Guatemala), Bombana (Mexico) can be selected on the basis of nutritive value of fodder.

Effects of Type and Level of Forage Supplementation on Voluntary Intake, Digestion, Rumen Microbial Protein Synthesis and Growth in Sheep Fed a Basal Diet of Rice Straw and Cassava

Premaratne, Sujatha,van Bruchem, J.,Chen, X.B.,Perera, H.G.D.,Oosting, S.J. Asian Australasian Association of Animal Productio 1998 Animal Bioscience Vol.11 No.6

An experiment was conducted with eight growing sheep (average initial weight 20.6 kg and average final weight 23.7 kg) in a $4{\times}4$ Latin square design to study the effect of type of forage supplementation to a basal diet of rice straw (ad libitum) and cassava (Manihot esculanta, approximately 9 g of dry matter $(DM).kg^{-0.75}{\cdot}day^{-1}$) on voluntary intake, digestion, rumen microbial protein synthesis and daily weight gain. Forages used were Leucaena (L, Leucaena leucocephala), Gliricidia (G, Gliricidia maculata) and Tithonia (T, Tithonia diversifolia, wild sunflower) at a DM supplementation level of approximately $13g.kg^{-0.75}.day^{-1}$. Organic matter intake was 40.4, 55.5, 55.0 and $54.9g{\cdot}kg.^{-0.75}{\cdot}day^{-1}$ for control (C, ad libitum straw and cassava), L, G and T. respectively, significantly lower for C than for the supplemented diets. Intake of supplementary forage had also a significantly positive effect on voluntary rice straw intake. All forage supplemented diets showed a significantly higher whole diet organic matter digestion than C ($488g{\cdot}kg^{-1}$), while T ($557g{\cdot}kg^{-1}$) differed significantly from L ($516g{\cdot}kg^{-1}$) but not from G ($526g{\cdot}kg^{-1}$). Daily weight gain was -1.7, 5.2, 5.4 and $4.7g{\cdot}kg^{-0.75}$, for C, L, G and T. respectively, significantly lower for C than for the forage-supplemented diets. Efficiency of microbial protein synthesis estimated from urinary excretion of purine derivatives was lower for C (3.8 g microbial N. (kg digestible organic matter intake $(DOMI))^{-1}$ than for the forage supplemented diets (11.3, 9.0 and 9.4 g microbial $N.(kg\;DOMI)^{-1}$ for L, G and T. respectively).

Use of N-alkanes to Estimate Intake and Digestibility by Beef Steers

Premaratne, S.,Fontenot, J.P.,Shanklin, R.K. Asian Australasian Association of Animal Productio 2005 Animal Bioscience Vol.18 No.11

The objective of the study was to evaluate the use of n-alkanes to estimate DM intake and digestibility by beef cattle. Six steers were blocked (3 blocks, 2 animals/block) according to the body weight (279${\pm}$19 kg) and randomly allotted within blocks to two diets (3 steers/diet). A second trial was conducted with the same animals (321${\pm}$18 kg) after 36 days (d), using a switch back design. The diets consisted of two types of chopped sun-cured hay, alfalfa (Medicago sativa L) hay, or fescue (Festuca arundinacea Schreb) and alfalfa mixture, which were fed in equal amounts to steers. Animals were dosed with $C_{32}$ and $C_{36}$ alkanes, employing an intra-ruminal controlled-release device at the beginning of each trial. Hay intake per animal was measured from d 6 to 12 and sub samples were taken for chemical analysis. Rectal samples of feces were taken from each animal once/daily from d 8 to 14, freeze dried, and ground prior to alkane analysis. Alkanes were extracted from ground hay and feces. Feed intake was calculated from the dose rate of $C_{32}$ alkane and, the herbage and fecal concentrations of adjacent odd ($C_{33}$ or $C_{31}$) and even ($C_{32}$) chain length alkanes. Crude Protein, NDF, ADF, ash concentrations and In vitro dry matter digestibility (IVDMD) were 17.7, 42.2, 28.4, 7.9 and 71.7 for alfalfa, and 12.4, 56.5, 30.4, 6.9 and 69.1% for fescue/alfalfa mixture, respectively. For both diets, intake estimated from $C_{33}$:$C_{32}$ ratio was not different from the measured intake, but intake estimated from $C_{31}$:$C_{32}$ ratio was lower (p<0.05), than the measured intake for both diets. The average estimated forage intake from $C_{33}$:$C_{32}$ ratio was 4.86 and 0.69% below than the measured intake for alfalfa and, fescue/alfalfa mixed diets, respectively. The respective estimates with $C_{31}$:$C_{32}$ ratio were 9.59 and 11.33% below than the measured intake. According to these results, alkane $C_{33}$:$C_{32}$ ratio is better than alkane $C_{31}$:$C_{32}$ ratio for the estimation of intake by beef steers.

The Impact of Financial Integration on Economic Growth in Southeast Asia

Angkeara Bong,Gamini Premaratne 한국유통과학회 2019 The Journal of Asian Finance, Economics and Busine Vol.6 No.1

This paper examines the impact of financial integration on economic growth in Southeast Asia over the period 1993-2013. This paper further investigates whether the relationship depends on the level of financial and economic development, government corruption, and macroeconomic policy. These questions raise important issues both from a theoretical and a policy perspective. We employ the generalized methods of moment (GMM) in the dynamic panel estimation framework to analyse several factors, including initial income, initial schooling, financial development, inflation, trade openness, corruption, and financial crisis. The study further analyzes the data using the EGLS model to examine the consistency of the GMM model. We found that financial integration has a significant positive effect on economic growth in Southeast Asia. Our findings suggest that increasing financial integration could improve the productive capacity of the economy, including more investments and efficient allocation of capital, and thus enhancing economic growth in this region. More specifically, the results suggest that the government should work towards eliminating corruption and stabilizing macroeconomics in order to enhance financial integration and economic growth. This paper sheds new insights on a better evaluation of the past and present theorizing on the subject of financial integration and economic growth; especially, in Southeast Asia.

ENSILING CHARACTERISTICS AND NUTRITIVE VALUE OF GUINEA GRASS (Panicum maximum, Jacq.) AS AFFECTED BY GROWTH STAGE

Ibrahim, M.N.M.,Premaratne, S.,Perera, H.G.D. Asian Australasian Association of Animal Productio 1989 Animal Bioscience Vol.2 No.2

An experiment was conducted to study the effect of frequency of defoliation on the ensiling characteristics and nutritive value of Guineaecotype 'A' (Panicum maximum Jacq) grass. Guinea grass harvested at 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 and 12-week cutting intervals was chopped (2 cm) and ensiled alone or with the addition of coconut (Cocos nucifera L.) meal (w/w-fresh weight basis), for periods of 6, 7 or 8 weeks in 2-litre laboratory silos. Dry matter, water soluble carbohydrates, lactic acid, pH, ash, nitrogen and digestibility in vitro were measured in representative samples of preensiled and ensiled material. Dry matter content of silages prepared from herbage harvested at 2 and 3 weeks intervals was lower (P<0.05) compared to longer defoliation intervals. The pH of silage prepared from herbage over 8 weeks old were higher (P<0.05) than those harvested below 8 weeks. The water soluble carbohydrate content of silage prepared from 3-weekly defoliated herbage was higher (P<0.05) than those prepared from longer periods. Lengthened growth period decreased (P<0.001) the crude protein content of the ensiled material, whereas the addition of coconut meal resulted in marginal increases. In vitro organic matter digestibility of the silages decreased (P<0.05) with the increase in forage maturity.

Analysis of Staple Food Price Behaviour: Multivariate BEKK-GARCH Model

Kumara Jati,Gamini Premaratne 한국유통과학회 2017 The Journal of Asian Finance, Economics and Busine Vol.4 No.4

This study examines the behaviour of staple food price using Multivariate BEKK-GARCH Model. Understanding of staple food price behaviour is important for determining the unpredictability of staple food market and also for policy making. In this paper, we focus on the commodity prices of sugar, rice, soybean and wheat to examine the volatility behaviour of those commodities. The empirical results show that the own-volatility spillover are relatively significant for all food prices. The own-volatility spillover effect for sugar price is relatively large compared with the volatility spillover of other staple food commodities. The findings also highlight that the price volatility of wheat increases during food crisis more than it does when the condition is stable. Also, the own-volatility of rice and wheat in the period of the food crisis is significant and higher compared to the period before food crisis indicates that the past own-volatility effects during food crisis are relatively more difficult to predict because of the uncertainty and high price volatility. Policy recommendations that can be proposed based on the findings are: (1) a better trade agreement in food commodity trade, (2) Indonesia should not depend on wheat importation, and (3) early warning system to minimize food price volatility risks.