Aqueous extracts of whole alfalfa plants (AP) and alfalfa pellets (APe) were examined for nutritional values, bioactive compounds (total phenolic content (TPC), phenolic compounds (PC), total flavonoids content (TFC), flavonoids compounds (FC), isoflavones), amino acids (AA) and antioxidant activity of AP and APe assessed via a DHHP radical scavenging assay and ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) assay. The potential ingredients in the form of AP and APe were used to evaluate the nutritional values measured by chemical composition, and to investigate bioactive compounds, AA and antioxidant activity to further contribute to use as a feed ingredient or application as a high-value alternative feed supplement in the ruminant diet. Crude protein and tannins were higher in the APe (18.17 and 3.08 %) than the AP (16.21 and 1.80 %). Higher content of organic matter, crude fiber, neutral-detergent fiber, acid-detergent fiber, acid-detergent lignin was observed for AP than APe. The TPC and TFC were more abundant in AP than in APe and AP also showed stronger antioxidant activity via DPPH than APe, with positive correlations of TPC, TFC and DPPH. The highest values of gallic acid in terms of PC and apigenin in terms of FC of APe were 215.30 and 2278.27 µg/g dry weight (DW), respectively, while the highest levels of genistein and daidzein occurred in AP at 104.37 and 130.91 µg/g DW, respectively. The total of essential AA was found to be in vary the range of 9.33 to 16689.47 µg/g DW in different forms of samples, with valine as the highest (5451 µg/g DW) in APe, followed by phenylalanine (4.30 µg/g DW) in AP.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the potential of yield production and chemical composition response to cutting intervals of three forage legumes over a 5 month period of the dry season in Sa Kaeo province for use as an alternative forage for farmers. The experiment was conducted in a factorial arrangement in randomized complete block design. The first factor was the types of forage legumes, including alfalfa, hamata and stylo ‘Tha pra’ and the second factor was the cutting intervals at 30, 45, 60 and 75 days. The results for stylo ‘Tha pra’ showed that the average height, total weight per area, fresh weight (FW) and dry weight (DW) per plant were the highest (P <0.001). The cutting interval at 75 days provided the highest average height, FW and DW in all legume forage types. The FW and DW increased with increases in the cutting times (number of cuts) at all cutting intervals for all three forage legume types. The three different types of forage legumes and the different cutting intervals resulted in different chemical compositions (P <0.001) except for dry matter (DM) for which there was only a difference from the cutting interval. Each chemical composition showed an unequal response to the increase in cutting times. Keywords: Chemical composition, Cutting intervals, Cutting times, Forage legumes, Ruminant feed, Yield production Funding: This work was financially supported by the Research Grant of Burapha University through the National Research Council of Thailand (Grant no. 24/2562). Citation: Rupitak, Q. and Srisaikham, S. 2021. Evaluation of yield production and chemical composition of three types of forage legumes at different cutting intervals and cutting times to assess their benefits as ruminant animal feed. CMUJ. Nat. Sci. 20(3): e2021046.

Weaning is challenging for dairy calves, frequently resulting in digestive issues. This highlights the importance of implementing appropriate nutritional strategies to enhance gut health and support optimal growth. Postbiotics is a promising alternative to traditional probiotics, conferring health benefits without the risks associated with live bacteria. This study aimed to investigate the effect of dietary supplementation with a postbiotic from dead-cell Limosilactobacillus ingluviei C37 (postbiotic LIC37) on blood biochemical parameters and jejunal epithelium transcriptomic profiles in calves. Fourteen Holstein bull calves were randomly allocated into two groups (n = 7). The control group (CON) received a basic diet, while the postbiotic group (DCLI) was supplemented with 1 g/d of postbiotic LIC37 for 90 days. Blood samples were collected on days 76, 83, and 90, respectively. The jejunal epithelial tissue was obtained from four randomly selected calves per group at day 90 for transcriptome analysis. The results showed that postbiotic LIC37 supplementation reduced globulin, total protein, neutrophil (Neu) levels, and neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) levels in the DCLI group (p < 0.05). Transcriptomic analysis identified 76 differentially expressed genes (DEGs), with significant upregulation of genes involved in fatty acid metabolism (FABP1), intestinal barrier function (B4GALNT2), and detoxification (GSTA1), alongside downregulation of immune response regulation (FCRLA, FCRL4). Gene ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) analyses highlighted enrichment in pathways related to glutathione metabolism, drug metabolism, and vitamin digestion, indicating that postbiotic supplementation improved detoxification, oxidative stress defense, and nutrient absorption in calves. This study provides novel insights into the molecular mechanisms underlying the benefits of postbiotic LIC37 and supports its potential as a sustainable alternative to probiotics in calf nutrition.

This study aimed to explore the effect of anthocyanin-rich black sugarcane on milk production, plasma antioxidant capacity, and the storage period DPPH scavenging capacity of milk in lactating dairy cows. Sixteen lactating dairy cows were stratified and randomly assigned into two balanced dietary groups, namely Anthocyanin-rich black sugarcane (AS), and Napier grass (NG). The AS group demonstrated a significant decrease (p < 0.05) in roughage intake, total dry matter intake, and nutrient intake. Blood glucose concentration was significantly greater in the AS group compared to the NG group. Additionally, the AS group had a significantly higher superoxide dismutase inhibition rate and 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) scavenging capacity in plasma compared to the NG group. Furthermore, the DPPH scavenging capacity in the AS group was significantly elevated (p < 0.05) after 3 d of storage period. The NG group showed a significant decrease (p < 0.05) in DPPH scavenging capacity as the storage time extended. The incorporation of AS in the diet of lactating dairy cows is posited to enhance antioxidant performance, evidenced by an elevation in plasma antioxidant capacity. Additionally, AS may bestow the added benefit of preserving milk quality by augmenting the milk intrinsic DPPH scavenging capacity during storage period.

The series of experiments had two objectives. First, to study fatty acids (FA) composition of Thai-Native cattle beef (NB), European crossbred cattle beef (EB), and Brahman crossbred cattle beef (BC) survey was conducted in local fresh markets in Northeast Thailand. Second, to investigate the effects of different quality roughage on productivity, meat quality, and FA profiles in beef cattle. Experiment 1 was conducted as a completely randomized design by collecting 96 beef samples: NB averaging 2 years old, 200–250 kg body weight (BW); BC, averaging 3 years old, 450 kg BW, and EB, averaging 3 years old, 550-650 kg BW. Experiment 2 grouped 20 Brahman x Native crossbred with 10 cattles in each of two groups using a Independent t-test. The 1st group received high level concentrate with rice straw (HCRS), and the 2nd group received low level concentrate with fresh grass (LCFG). Polyunsaturated FAs were higher in NB than in EB, whereas NB had lower n-6/n-3 FA proportions than BC and EB, respectively (P < 0.05). Cattle fed with HCRS or LCFG demonstrated no marked variations for performance or meat quality. Cattle fed on LCFG demonstrated increased n-3 FA contents in semimembranosus (SM), with decreased n-6/n-3 FA ratio for longissimus lumborum (LL) and SM. These results suggest that altering source of roughage to high-quality roughage by increasing the amount of n-3 in cattle diets results in increasing the amount of n-3 FA and decreasing the n-6/n-3 FA ratio in beef.