Improving Fermentation and Nutritive Quality of Napiergrass Silage by Mixing with Phasey Bean

Yunus, M.,Ohba, N.,Tobisa, M.,Nakano, Y.,Shimojo, M.,Furuse, M.,Masuda, Y. Asian Australasian Association of Animal Productio 2001 Animal Bioscience Vol.14 No.7

To improve the low content of crude protein and low quality fermentation of napiergrass silage, ensiling with phasey bean was examined. Napiergrasses, (Pennisetum purpureum cv. Merkeron), hybrid napiergrass (Pennisetum purpureum${\times}$ Pennisetum typhoides) and phasey bean (Macroptilium lathyroides cv. Murray) were cultivated in Fukuoka, Japan. The first growth of napiergrasses and phasey bean were harvested at 90 days of age and chopped into about 1 cm lengths. The mixing levels of phasey bean with napiergrasses were 0, 25, 50 and 75; 700 g of plant materials were ensiled into a laboratory silo (1.0 litre. polyethylene container) and incubated for 30 days. After opening silos, pH, total nitrogen (TN), volatile basic nitrogen (VBN) and organic acids (lactic acid: LA, acetic acid: AA, butyric acid: BA) were determined. The experiment was a factorial design of $2{\times}4$ with 3 replicates. The data were analyzed statistically by two-way analysis of variance. Without inclusion of phasey bean, lower quality was observed for hybrid silage than for Merkeron silage. The inclusion of phasey bean at the rate of 25% increased DM and TN, and decreased pH value, VBN/TN, AA and BA in both Merkeron and hybrid napiergrass silages. The value of pH, TN, VBN/TN, AA and BA were not significantly different among 25, 50 and 75% mixing levels of phasey bean. LA production increased significantly with the increase in phasey bean mixing level in both hybrid and Merkeron silages. At all mixing levels of phasey bean, LA production did not show significant differences between Merkeron and hybrid silages.

Effect of Glucose and Formic Acid on the Quality of Napiergrass Silage After Treatment With Urea

Yunus, M.,Ohba, N.,Tobisa, M.,Shimojo, M.,Masuda, Y. Asian Australasian Association of Animal Productio 2001 Animal Bioscience Vol.14 No.2

Urea as a silage additive increases crude protein but reduces fermentation quality of silage by increasing pH and enhancing clostridial bacteria growth, especially in low sugar forages. Glucose and formic acid might be expected to compensate these defects caused by urea addition to grass silage. Thus, in this experiment urea formic acid or urea with glucose was applied to improve N content and the quality of napiergrass (Pennisetum purpureum Schumach.) silage. The first growth of napiergrass was harvested at 85 days of age and about 700 g of the grass was ensiled in laboratory silos (1.0 liter polyethylene containers) for 2, 7, 14, and 30 days at room temperature ($28^{\circ}C$). The treatments were no additives (control), urea, urea+glucose or urea+formic acid. Urea was added before ensiling at 0.5% of fresh weight of napiergrass and glucose and formic acid were added at 1% of fresh weight, respectively. After opening the silo, pH, dry matter content (DM), contents on DM basis of total N (TN), volatile basic nitrogen (VBN), lactic acid (LA), acetic acid (AA) and butyric acid (BA) were determined. The control at 30 days of fermentation showed 5.89 for pH with 13.8% for VBN/TN and 1.51% for AA. The addition of urea increased TN by about 1.5% units but decreased the fermentation quality by increasing pH from 5.89 to 6.86, increasing VBN/TN from 13.8% to 24.63%, increasing BA from 0.02% to 0.56%, and decreasing LA from 1.03% to 0.02%. Glucose addition with urea significantly decreased VBN/TN from 13.8% to 4.44% by reducing pH from 6.86 to 4.83 because of higher production of LA (2.62%). Adding urea and formic acid resulted in a more pronounced depression of VBN/TN and fermentation than the addition of urea and glucose. This study suggested that the combination of 1% glucose or 1% formic acid with 0.5% urea will improve nutritive value and fermentation quality of napiergrass silage.

Effects of Preheated Additives on the Fermentation Quality of Napiergrass Silage

Yunus, M.,Ohba, N.,Tobisa, M.,Shimojo, M.,Masuda, Y. Asian Australasian Association of Animal Productio 2001 Animal Bioscience Vol.14 No.11

Hydrolysis of plant protein to non-protein nitrogen (N) or ammonia can reduce quality of silage crops. Heating or non-enzymatic browning is a treatment to inhibit this hydrolysis. This experiment was conducted to examine the effects of pre-heated soybean meal and molasses on the fermentation quality of napiergrass silage. The initial growth of napiergrass was harvested at 85 days of age and immediately chopped into about 1 cm length. About 700 g of the grass was ensiled into a laboratory silo (1.0 liter polyethylene container) and incubated for 30 days at room temperature ($28^{\circ}C$). No additives (control), molasses, soybean meal and molasses + soybean meal treatments were prepared. All additives were non-heated or heated in an oven at $150^{\circ}C$ for 30 minutes before ensiling. Molasses was added at 3% on the fresh weight basis and soybean meal was added at 0.5% N, respectively. After opening the silo, pH, total nitrogen (TN), volatile basic nitrogen (VBN), lactic acid (LA), acetic acid (AA), butyric acid (BA) and dry matter (DM) contents were determined. The data were analyzed statistically by analysis of variance. Compared with control, molasses addition significantly decreased pH value, VBN/TN, AA and BA and increased LA production. Soybean meal addition significantly increased TN and VBN/TN of silage. Both molasses and soybean meal addition significantly reduced pH value, AA, and BA and increased DM and LA contents of silage. The heating of additives was only effective to reduce VBN/TN production compared with non-heated additives in soybean meal and soybean meal with molasses addition.

Effects of Adding Urea and Molasses on Napiergrass Silage Quality

Yunus, M.,Ohba, N.,Shimojo, M.,Furuse, M.,Masuda, Y. Asian Australasian Association of Animal Productio 2000 Animal Bioscience Vol.13 No.11

To standardize proper formulation of urea and molasses, the former to increase crude protein content of tropical grass and the latter for improving its silage quality, we examined the fermentation quality of silage of fresh and wilted napiergrass (Pennisetum purpureum Schumach) with different levels of urea and molasses with or without lactic acid bacteria (LAB). Silage was made of napiergrass with conditions of fresh young (Exp. 1),young wilted for half day (Exp. 2) and fresh mature (Exp. 3). Chopped plant materials of about 1cm length were ensiled into a laboratory silo and incubated for one month at $25^{\circ}C$. The treatments were the combination of 0, 0.2 and 0.6% of urea and 0, 2 and 5% of molasses (fresh material basis) with or without LAB inoculation. After opening the silo, pH, organic acids, volatile basic nitrogen (VBN) and total nitrogen (TN) were determined. Addition of molasses significantly (p<0.01) lowered pH values in three experiments. Though molasses addition increased lactic acid production even at a higher level of urea, pH values at 0 and 2% molasses were significantly increased by urea in fresh and wilted young silages, but in fresh mature silage it occurred only when molasses was not added. VBN/TN at 0.6% urea were decreased significantly by the highest molasses in three experiments. Significant increases in TN by the increasing of urea addition were observed at all levels of molasses in wilted young and fresh mature silages. In conclusion, a combination of 5% molasses and 0.6% urea could improve the nutritive and fermentation qualities of napiergrass silage under young, wilting and mature conditions.

First analysis of solar structures in 1.21 mm full-disc ALMA image of the Sun

Brajš,a, R.,Sudar, D.,Benz, A. O.,Skokić,, I.,Bá,rta, M.,De Pontieu, B.,Kim, S.,Kobelski, A.,Kuhar, M.,Shimojo, M.,Wedemeyer, S.,White, S.,Yagoubov, P.,Yan, Y. Springer-Verlag 2018 Astronomy and astrophysics Vol.613 No.-

<P><I>Context.</I> Various solar features can be seen in emission or absorption on maps of the Sun in the millimetre and submillimetre wavelength range. The recently installed Atacama Large Millimetre/submillimetre Array (ALMA) is capable of observing the Sun in that wavelength range with an unprecedented spatial, temporal and spectral resolution. To interpret solar observations with ALMA, the first important step is to compare solar ALMA maps with simultaneous images of the Sun recorded in other spectral ranges.</P><P><I>Aims.</I> The first aim of the present work is to identify different structures in the solar atmosphere seen in the optical, infrared, and EUV parts of the spectrum (quiet Sun, active regions, prominences on the disc, magnetic inversion lines, coronal holes and coronal bright points) in a full-disc solar ALMA image. The second aim is to measure the intensities (brightness temperatures) of those structures and to compare them with the corresponding quiet Sun level.</P><P><I>Methods.</I> A full-disc solar image at 1.21 mm obtained on December 18, 2015, during a CSV-EOC campaign with ALMA is calibrated and compared with full-disc solar images from the same day in H<I>α</I> line, in He I 1083 nm line core, and with various SDO images (AIA at 170 nm, 30.4 nm, 21.1 nm, 19.3 nm, and 17.1 nm and HMI magnetogram). The brightness temperatures of various structures are determined by averaging over corresponding regions of interest in the calibrated ALMA image.</P><P><I>Results.</I> Positions of the quiet Sun, active regions, prominences on the disc, magnetic inversion lines, coronal holes and coronal bright points are identified in the ALMA image. At the wavelength of 1.21 mm, active regions appear as bright areas (but sunspots are dark), while prominences on the disc and coronal holes are not discernible from the quiet Sun background, despite having slightly less intensity than surrounding quiet Sun regions. Magnetic inversion lines appear as large, elongated dark structures and coronal bright points correspond to ALMA bright points.</P><P><I>Conclusions.</I> These observational results are in general agreement with sparse earlier measurements at similar wavelengths. The identification of coronal bright points represents the most important new result. By comparing ALMA and other maps, it was found that the ALMA image was oriented properly and that the procedure of overlaying the ALMA image with other images is accurate at the 5 arcsec level. The potential of ALMA for physics of the solar chromosphere is emphasised.</P>

CHEMICAL COMPONENTS INFLUENCING LODGING RESISTANCE OF RICE PLANT AND ITS STRAW DIGESTIBILITY IN VITRO

Hasan, S.,Shimojo, M.,Goto, I. Asian Australasian Association of Animal Productio 1993 Animal Bioscience Vol.6 No.1

This study was conducted to investigate the chemical components of culm that influencing the resistance to lodging and the in vitro digestibility in indica type rice plants. Indica type rice plants with three levels of lodging resistance were used; resistant type (RT), intermediate type (IT) and susceptible type (ST). For each type there were four varieties. Culm length was shorter in RT and longer in ST (98.1 cm vs. 151.8 cm). Silica content in the culm was highest in RT and lowest in ST (11.0% vs. 7.6%). There was no difference in the level of acid detergent lignin (ADL) between the 3 levels of lodging. For the 12 straw samples, in vitro organic matter digestibility (IVOMD) was negatively correlated with silica content (r = -0.664, p<0.05) but ADL had no significant effect (r = -0.454, p>0.05). Digestibility was more closely correlated with the sum of silica and ADL (r = -0.747, p<0.01) than silica alone. It was concluded that rice plants showed resistance to lodging when the culm was short and its structure was reinforced with larger quantities of silica. However these silicified straws were less digestible.

IMPROVEMENT IN THE NUTRITIVE VALUE OF RICE STRAW BY TREATMENT WITH THE URINE OF GOATS

Hasan, S.,Shimojo, M.,Goto, I. Asian Australasian Association of Animal Productio 1993 Animal Bioscience Vol.6 No.1

This study was conducted to measure the improvement in nutritive value of rice straw by treatment with urine of goat under different temperatures. Straw samples were japonica I (comprising 15 varieties with culms longer than 123 cm and mean silica content of 13.0%), japonica II (comprising 20 varieties with culms less than 87 cm and mean silica content of 13.7%), indica I (Java 14 variety with a high content of silica of 13.9%) and indica II (comprising IR-8 and IR-20 varieties with a low content of silica of 11.0%). Urine was collected from four Japanese Saanen goats fed alfalfa hay. The different straws were sprayed with urine at the rate of 1 ml/g straw DM, put in double layer plastic bags, sealing and stored for 4 weeks at either $20^{\circ}C$ (GU-20) or $40^{\circ}C$ (GU-40). The in vitro dry matter digestibility (IVDMD) and organic matter digestibility (IVOMD) of the straws were improved by the GU-40 treatment (13.5% and 13.2%, but the GU-20 treatment had little effect of digestibility (1.5% and -0.2%) except with the low silica indica II varieties. The GU-40 treatment tended to decrease NDF and hemicellulose content of straws. Crude protein content of the straws was improved by both the GU-20 and GU-40 treatments. It was concluded that treatment of rice straw with goat urine at $40^{\circ}C$ for 4 weeks improved the crude protein content and digestibility in vitro, the greatest improvement occurring with straws of lowest digestibility in the untreated state.

Effect of Additives on the Fermentation Quality and Residual Mono- and Disaccharides Compositions of Forage Oats (Avena sativa L.) and Italian Ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum Lam.) Silages

Shao, Tao,Shimojo, M.,Wang, T.,Masuda, Y. Asian Australasian Association of Animal Productio 2005 Animal Bioscience Vol.18 No.11

This study aimed to evaluate the effects of silage additives on the fermentation qualities and residual mono- and disaccharides composition of silages. Forage Oats (Avena sativa L.) and Italian Ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum Lam.) were ensiled with glucose, sorbic acid and pre-fermented juice of epiphytic lactic acid bacteria (FJLB) treatments for 30 days. In both species grass silages, although the respective controls had higher contents of butyric acid (20.86, 33.45g $kg^{-1}$ DM) and ammonia-N/total nitrogen (100.07, 114.91 g $kg^{-1}$) as compared with other treated silages in forage oats and Italian ryegrass, the fermentation was clearly dominated by lactic acid bacteria. This was well indicated by the low pH value (4.27, 4.38), and high lactic acid/acetic acid (6.53, 5.58) and lactic acid content (61.67, 46.85 g $kg^{-1}$ DM). Glucose addition increased significantly (p<0.05) lactic acid/acetic acid, and significantly (p<0.05) decreased the values of pH and ammonia-N/total nitrogen, and the contents of butyric acid and volatile fatty acids as compared with control, however, there was a slightly but significantly (p<0.05) higher butyric acid and lower residual mono- and di-saccharides as compared with sorbic acid and FJLB additions. Sorbic acid addition showed the lowest ethanol, acetic acid and ammonia-N/total nitrogen, and highest contents of residual fructose, total mono- and di-saccharides and dry matter as well as high lactic acid/acetic acid and lactic acid content. FJLB addition had the lowest pH value and the highest lactic acid content, the most intensive lactic acid fermentation occurring in FJLB treated silages. This resulted in the faster accumulation of lactic acid and faster pH reduction. Sorbic acid and FJLB additions depressed clostridia or other undesirable bacterial fermentation, thus this decreased the water-soluble carbohydrates loss and saved the fermentable substrate for lactic acid fermentation.

Effects of Adding Glucose, Sorbic Acid and Pre-fermented Juices on the Fermentation Quality of Guineagrass (Panicum maximum Jacq.) Silages

Shao, Tao,Ohba, N.,Shimojo, M.,Masuda, Y. Asian Australasian Association of Animal Productio 2004 Animal Bioscience Vol.17 No.6

This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of adding glucose (G), sorbic acid (S), pre-fermented juice of epiphytic lactic acid bacteria (FJLB) and their combinations on the fermentation qualities and residual mono-and di-saccharides compositions of guineagrass silage. The additives used in this experiment were 1% glucose, 0.1% sorbic acid and FJLB at a theoretical application rate of 9.0${\times}$105 CFU $g^{-1}$ on the fresh weight basis of guineagrass, respectively. There was a total of eight treatments in this experiment: (1) C (without additives), (2) FJLB, (3) S, (4) G, (5) FJLB+S, (6) FJLB+G, (7) S+G, (8) FJLB+S+G. After 30 days of storage, the silos were opened for chemical analyses. Based on the results, all additives were efficient in improving the fermentation quality of guineagrass silage. This was well indicated by significantly (p<0.05) lower pH and BA content and significantly (p<0.05) higher LA content in the treated silages except for the FJLB than in the C. However, there was only a slight increase in LA for the FJLB as compared with the C, which might be due to the low WSC content of the original guineagrass (34.4 g $kg^{-1}$). When the FJLB+S and FJLB+G were added, there were significant (p<0.05) decreases in pH and significant (p<0.05) increases in LA as compared with the FJLB alone. This indicated that the G, S and FJLB were of synergestic effects on the silage fermentation quality. The G combination treatments including the G alone showed large improvements in the fermentation quality as compared with the treatments without the G. This suggested that adding fermentable substrates (G) to plant materials such as guineagrass, which contain low WSC, intermediate population of epiphytic LAB, CP and DM content, is more important and efficient for improving the fermentation quality of silages than adding a number of species of domestic LAB (FJLB) and aerobic bacteria inhibitor (S).

Improvement of Fermentation and Nutritive Quality of Straw-grass Silage by Inclusion of Wet Hulless-barley Distillers' Grains in Tibet

Yuan, Xianjun,Yu, Chengqun,Shimojo, M.,Shao, Tao Asian Australasian Association of Animal Productio 2012 Animal Bioscience Vol.25 No.4

In order to develop methods that would enlarge the feed resources in Tibet, mixtures of hulless-barley straw and tall fescue were ensiled with four levels (0, 10%, 20%, and 30% of fresh weight) of wet hulless-barley distillers' grains (WHDG). The silos were opened after 7, 14 or 30 d of ensiling, and the fermentation characteristics and nutritive quality of the silages were analyzed. WHDG addition significantly improved fermentation quality, as indicated by the faster decline of pH, rapid accumulation of lactic acid (LA) (p<0.05), and lower butyric acid content and ammonia-N/total N (p<0.05) as compared with the control. These results indicated that WHDG additions not only effectively inhibited the activity of aerobic bacteria, but also resulted in faster and greatly enhanced LA production and pH value decline, which restricted activity of undesirable bacteria, resulting in more residual water soluble carbohydrates (WSC) in the silages. The protein content of WHDG-containing silages were significantly higher (p<0.05) higher than that of the control. In conclusion, the addition of WHDG increased the fermentation and nutritive quality of straw-grass silage, and this effect was more marked when the inclusion rate of WHDG was greater than 20%.