Efficacy of Dietary Urea-Impregnated Zeolite in Improving Rumen Fermentation Characteristics of Local Lamb

A research on dietary inclusion of urea-impregnated zeolite as slow-release urea (SRU) agent had been conducted to reveal its effect on ruminal fermentation characteristics in local lambs. The research used 24 heads of 7-8 mo old of local male lambs with (20.12±2.1 kg BW) designed upon a randomized block design. Treatments consisted of diets contained no urea, urea, zeolite, and urea-impregnated zeolite. The collected data was analyzed with UNIANOVA and Duncan’s multiple-range test. Results indicated that feeding no urea, zeolite, or urea-impregnated zeolite ration produced lower ruminal ammonia nitrogen than feeding urea ration (P < 0.05). Feeding zeolite ration produced lower ruminal pH than feeding urea ration (P < 0.05). Despite total VFAs were similar across the treatments, feeding urea-impregnated zeolite ration produced lower ruminal acetate, acetate to propionate ratio, or methane production than feeding urea ration (P < 0.05). Feeding urea ration produced the lowest molar proportion of branch-chained VFAs (P < 0.05). Feeding urea ration produced higher plasma urea concentration than feeding no urea ration (2.75 mM vs. 2.16 mM; P < 0.05). In conclusion, zeolite or urea-impregnated zeolite as slow-release ammonia or SRU agent was potential in decreasing ruminal ammonia, pH, acetate to propionate ratio, methane, and maintaining low plasma urea within its physiological range

Production performance of quails given chromium organic in ration

Egg production of quails depends on quality of ration. Nutrient manipulation by chromiun inclusion in ration is a possible way to improve production. It is known that chromium mineral in form of GTF in blood has a role not only in enhancement of glucose entering cells through improvement of insulin activity but also in metabolism of lipid and synthesis of protein and elimination of heat stress to improve egg production. This study aimed at assessing egg production of quails fed ration containing chromium-yeast. Sixty-four quails aged 40 days were used. A completely randomized design with 4 treatments and 4 replication was applied in this study. Treatment consisted of commercial ration + Cr 0 ppm (R1), commercial ration + Cr 0.5 ppm (R2), commercial ration + Cr 1 ppm (R3), and commercial ration+ Cr 1.5 ppm (R4). Measurements were taken on feed intake, egg weight, egg mass production, hen day, feed conversion rate, egg index, and egg shell thickness. Results showed that A ration containing organic chromium as much as 1,5 ppm did not affect feed intake, egg production, egg weight, and eggshell thickness, however lowered feed conversion rate by up to 32.25% from that of control. Supplementation of 0,5 ppm chromium in the ration lowered the value of eggs index in the fourth week