Understanding gut lactic acid bacteria (LAB) in healthy hosts is an important first step in selecting potential probiotic species. To understand the dynamics of LAB in healthy goats, a cohort of thirty-seven healthy new-born goat kids was studied over a ten-month period. Total LAB was quantified using SYBR green qPCR. Seven hundred LAB isolates were characterized using microscopy, M13 RAPD genotyping and 16S rDNA sequencing. The highest and lowest LAB counts were detected at one week and ten months of age, respectively. Diverse LAB species were detected, whose identity and prevalence varied with age. The main isolates belonged to Limosilactobacillus reuteri, Limosilactibacillus fermentum, Lactobacillus johnsonni, Ligilactobacillus murinus, Ligilactobacillus salivarius, Limosilactobacillus mucosae, Lactiplantibacillus plantarum, Ligilactobacillus agilis, Lactobacillus acidophilus/amyolovolus, Pediococcus spp. and Enterococcus spp. Uniquely, L. reuteri and Pediococcus spp. were most common in pre- and peri-weaned goats, while Lactobacillus mucosae and Enterococcus spp. were predominant in goats one month and older. Based on RAPD genotyping, L. reuteri had the highest genotypic diversity, with age being a factor on the genotypes detected. This data may be relevant in the selection of age-specific probiotics for goats. The findings may also have broader implications by highlighting age as a factor for consideration in probiotic bacteria selection in other animal hosts.

The study was undertaken to determine the effects of ammonium hydroxide (NH 4 OH) treatment of sorghum stover residue on composition and in vitro dry matter disappearance (IVDMD) of two sorghum varieties, Dale (tall, sweet sorghum variety) and Brown mid rib (BMR) (Short, grain sorghum variety). The residue was treated with; water only (T00), 50 g NH 4 OH kg -1 residue dry matter (DM) (T50), 100 g NH 4 OH kg -1 DM (T100), and untreated control (neither water nor NH 4 OH) (TUN) and allowed to react for one week before chemical analysis was performed. The fiber content (ADF and NDF) were not affected by the levels of alkali treatment but the crude protein (CP) and Soluble protein contents were both increased by alkali treatment. There was an increase ( P < 0.05) in dry matter digestibility in vitro (IVDMD) by NH 4 OH treatment from 529 g kg -1 to 651 g kg -1 in T50 and T100. The improvement in IVDMD may indicate that NH 4 OH helps disrupt the lignin–carbohydrate complexes. The development of more economical and safe procedures which improve digestibility of the structural cell wall components would be very beneficial for improving the use of crop residue as feedstock for livestock and bioethanol production.

The study was undertaken to determine the effects of an alkali, ammonium hydroxide (NH 4 OH) treatment of residue of two vegetable soybean varieties on composition and in vitro dry matter disappearance (IVDMD). Soybean residue was treated with no water and no NH 4 OH (TUN), Water only (T00), and NH 4 OH at 50 (T50), and 100 (T100) g kg -1 residue dry matter, and allowed to react for one week before chemical analysis was performed. The crude protein (CP) increased ( P < 0.05) and in vitro dry matter disappearance improved ( P < 0.05) with alkali treatment. The fiber content (ADF and NDF) was also reduced ( P < 0.05) by alkali treatment but there was no difference ( P > 0.05) in the effects of the alkali treatment levels. Ammonium hydroxide treatment increased ( P < 0.01) in vitro dry matter disappearance (IVDMD) but no difference ( P > 0.01) was observed between the alkali treatment levels. The development of more economical and safe procedures for handling the residue to improve digestibility of the structural cell wall components would be very beneficial for facilitating the use of soybean residue as potential source of feedstock for both feeding ruminant livestock and biofuel production.