Tropical grasses generally show the lower dry matter intake of livestock than temperate grasses. In this study, we investigated NDF digestibilities which might have been recognized as one of the factors for the intake of livestock in some tropical grasses, and compared to that of Italian ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum Lam.) which is most commonly cultivated as an annual temperate grass. Four commercial cultivars (Natsukaze: Panicum maximum, Callide and Katambora: Chloris gayana, Kennedy: Brachiaria ruziziensis) were cultivated and harvested at four developmental stages (Plant height 50 cm, boot leaf, beginning of heading, 10 days after heading). The structural cell wall components (NDF, ADF, ADL), NDF digestibility and crude protein (CP) were analyzed. Additionally the ratio of leaf blade weight to total plant weight was measured. 　　 Under the longer cutting intervals the NDF digestibilities analysed using artificial rumen technique method at different incubation periods (12, 24, 48 and 72 h), decreased and NDF contents increased. The increase in NDF contents might have induced by the increases in ADF and ADL contents and the decreases in CP and the ratio of leaf blade weight to total plant weight. NDF digestibilities of all tropical forage grasses were lower than that of Italian ryegrass under all developmental stages. In addition, the differences were expanded as the developmental stages were advanced. NDF digestibilities of all tropical grasses under 24h incubation were lower than that of Italian ryegrass by 10 - 38% at all developmental stages. Subsequently, the differences were decreased by 1 - 26% under 48h incubation at all developmental stages. These results indicated that NDF digestion rate of tropical grasses at the early incubation period especially within 24h were lower than that of temperate grass regardless of developmental stages. In conclusion, the lower NDF digestibilities of tropical grasses might cause the lower dry matter intake of livestock.

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We examined planting depth and stand establishment of forage corn seeded by planter adapted to a no-tillage system as affected by previous tillage systems, (i) no tillage of previous Italian ryegrass harvested at heading stage, (ii) no tillage of previous Italian ryegrass harvested at internode elongation stage, (iii) no tillage of corn harvested in the previous year, and (iv) tillage, combined with two levels of soil moisture content. The system (i) had a larger amount of root residues with higher degree of soil hardness than the others, resulting in shallower planting depth. Sprinkler irrigation increased soil moisture content and soil tended to decrease soil hardness, making it possible to plant corn more deeply. The ratios of stand establishment of no tillage to that of tillage ranged from 87.5% to 104.3% at planting depths of more than 3.0 cm. These results suggest that a no-tillage system would make it possible to ensure deep planting at more than 3.0 cm against large amount of root residues and nearly equivalent stand establishment to the conventional tillage system when the seeding procedure is conducted under high soil moisture conditions, i.e. post-rainfall.

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Sensory research was carried out in order to investigate the consumer palatability of goat meat. One of traditional Okinawa dish, soup of goat meat was investigated by panel test. The sensory research was conducted by 123 ordinary consumers (male: 83, female: 40). The survey research was carried out based on a questionnaire about taste, aroma, toughness, and greasiness of the meat, where each question was made of five choices. Factors related to profile of the panelists were sex, age, place of origin and preference of the panelists were investigated. In toughness and greasiness, female panelists tended to evaluate the meat more tough and greasy than male panelists (P < 0.05). In toughness, the panelists in age of 21-60 class tended to evaluate the meat more tough than panelists of under 20 (P < 0.05). In aroma and aggregate score, local panelists tended to evaluate the meat stronger smell than visitors (P < 0.05). This survey study reveals preference of the panelists for goat soup is the most important factor to make favor/disfavor decision. This tendency was especially significant in evaluation of aroma, where more local panelists tend to favor the aroma of goat soup.

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　Ten Japanese Black steers (average age: 23 months, average weight: 667 kg) were used to demonstrate the effects of feeding condensed- sweet potato distillers solubles (CSDS) on α-tocopherol content of longissimus muscle. Five steers were given a mixture of 98.7% concentrate mix and 1.3% calcium carbonate (control group), and the others were given a mixture of 79.7% concentrate mix, 19.1% CSDS, and 1.2% calcium carbonate (experimental group) on dry matter basis. Each steer fed ad libitum on the concentrate and 2 kg (on fresh matter basis) of rice straw in the maximum. The concentrate intake (kgDM/day) tended to be higher (P < 0.10) and crude protein intake was higher (P < 0.01) in experimental group than control group, whereas the intake of rice straw (kgDM/day) and estimated TDN were not significantly affected by CSDS feeding. There were no significant differences in carcass weight, rib eye area, rib thickness, subcutaneous fat thickness, yield score, marbling score, crude fat concentrate and fatty acid composition of longissimus muscle between the treatments. Experimental group had higher α-tocopherol concentration of longissimus muscle than control group (P < 0.01). We concluded that CSDS feeding during finishing period increased α-tocopherol concentration in longissimus muscle of Japanese Black steers without affecting their carcass traits.

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[in Japanese]

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[in Japanese]

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[in Japanese]

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[in Japanese]

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