Twenty four (24) strains of lactobacillus and 65 strains of enterococcus were isolated from the rectal feces of 20 goats. From the 24 lactobacillus strains isolated, 2 were selected for fermentation based on their antibiotic activity and pH. These were then used to produce lactobacillus-fermented milk and the effect of feeding it to goats was studied. The 2 strains selected were identified as lactobacillus based on their biochemical characteristics and the results compared to the base sequence homology of Strain 16SrDNA at the area of 500 bp with the lactobacillus base sequence specified in the International Base Sequence Database. The strains were determined to be NLBC 1 (=JCM13898) and NLBC2 (=JCM13899) categorized into the group of Plantarum subsp. In the feeding study in goats, 60 mL of the lactobacillus-fermented milk containing 125 × 105 lactobacilli counts/mL was fed daily for 22 days to 5 animals each from a the feeding group, aged 21.6±11.76 months (mean±SD), and to a non-feeding group, aged 19.2±10.73 months. We found a significant increase in the granulocyte/lymphocyte ratio (p<0.05), a significant decrease in blood glucose level (p<0.01), a decrease in the mortality rate, and significant decrease in coliform bacteria counts (p<0.01) were observed in the rectal feces in the feeding group animals. There was no significant difference in body weight gain. These results suggested that feeding of the lactobacillus-fermented milk prepared with NLBC1 (=JCM13898) or NLBC2 (=JCM13899) strain of Lactobacillus Plantarum subsp. Plantarum stimulated immune activity in goats, and consequently could be effective in disease prevention.

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The new feed storage bin was equipped with a ventilator to improve interior temperature regulation. The ventilator, made of galvanized iron, had a Savonius style fan on the top of the bin. Temperature and humidity of the upper and middle interior parts of the bins was measured. The ventilated bins were cooler than the non-ventilated bins, with a maximum temperature difference of 6.8℃ in the upper part and 5.7℃ in the lower. The maximum relative humidity at the upper and middle part of the bin was 10.0% and 5.0% lower than non-ventilated bin, respectively. The mean temperature in the non-ventilated and ventilated bin was 27.6℃, 25.9℃ (upper part) and 25.8℃, 24.8℃ (middle part), respectively, measurements which were all significant (P<0.05). Furthermore, both the mean relative and absolute humidity of the ventilated bin was significantly lower than the nonv-entilated bin (P<0.05). There was no significant difference in absolute humidity between external humidity and the top part of the ventilated bin. The installed ventilator, therefore, seems to have lowered humidity. Thus it is suggested that this ventilation system is useful for improvement of the interior bin environment.

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Some behaviors and blood constituents of cows with an available salt-mineral block were compared with those of cows without salt-mineral block to investigate the significance of salt-licking. The measurements were made once in a month from May to September. The cows were housed in a tie-stalls barn. Salt-licking behavior was observed continuously, and the other behavior was observed at 10-min intervals for 18 hours in a measurement. Blood samples were collected after the behavioral observation. The daily consumption of salt block and frequency of salt-licking was higher in July (61.6±60.1g/day and 39.9±40.9 times/day, respectively) than in another months. The cows often licked salt block immediately after feeding. The cow without salt block spent the corresponding time for resting (44.9%), eating (28.6%) and ruminating (12.3%). The time spent for licking correlated with the frequency of eliminative behavior (r_s=0.37, p<0.05), investigative behavior (r_s=0.28, p<0.10), milk protein content (r_s=0.34, p=0.05) and milk yield (r_s=-0.36, p<0.05). The serum IgM content in cows with salt block was higher than that in cows without salt block (p<0.05). However, NEFA content was higher than in the cows without salt block than the cows with salt block (p<0.10). There was no significant difference in behavioral measurements between cows with and without salt block. In conclusion, salt-licking in lactating cows often occurred after every feeding, and increased serum IgM content significantly.

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To determine the stress resistance of steers to long distance transport, two field studies were conducted. First, the physiological responses of 16 steers reared in two farms (Farms I and II) that adopted different suckling and growing systems were compared. Although big difference between the farms was found in the total time of management procedures at the growing stage (Farm I : 233.1 vs. Farm II : 48.8 min/head), physiological responses of steers after transport were not significantly different between farms. Serum ALT concentration and heart rate was higher just after transport compared with I wk after transport in the steers reared in Farm I (both P<0.01), but not in the steers reared in Farm II. The time length of hand procedures with touch at the growing stage was longer in Farm 11 (2.9 min/head) than in Farm I (0.7 min/head). Secondly, the physiological responses of 16 steers reared in two milk feeding systems were compared. The mean liveweight of steers reared in a group in automatic milk feeding (321.4±22.9kg) was heavier than that of steers individually reared in hand milk feeding (298.2±19.4kg) (P<0.01). The time length of hand procedures with touch at the growing stage was longer in automatic milk feeding (23.7 min/head) than in hand milk feeding (0.7 min/head). Serum pH was lower just after transport compared with I wk after transport in the steers reared in hand milk feeding (P<0.05), but not in the steers reared in automatic milk feeding. Serum ALT concentration (P<0.01) and heart rate (P<0.05) were higher just after transport compared with I wk after transport in the steers reared in hand milk feeding, but not in the steers in automatic milk feeding. These results indicate relatively low stress resistance to transport in calves reared in the management system that the stockpersons have little contact with their cattle at growing stage. Furthermore, group housing from suckling stage would make easy for calves to adapt to a novel environment and unfamiliar cattle after transported.

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