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A study was conducted to analyze foods eaten by gorillas in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park (BINP), Uganda, to assess the amounts of fiber, protein, and sugar, and to determine whether condensed tannis and cyanide were present in these foods. It was observed that the Bwindi gorilla ate foods that contained 2-28% crude protein (CP), 21-88% neutral detergent fiber (NDF), 14-60% acid detergent fiber (ADF), and varying amounts of carbohydrates and moisture, while 35% of the foods analyzed contained condensed tannis.

The bacterial diversity in fecal samples of a wild gorilla is described by using a 16S rRNA gene clone library and terminal-restriction fragment length polymorphism (T-RFLP). The results have indicated that fecal populations did not change temporarily, as examined by T-RFLP.

Genetic improvement of alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) for increased pectin concentration, estimated by neutral detergent soluble fiber (NDSF), would improve the efficiency of utilization of its high protein and digestibility by ruminants. The objectives of this study were to: (i) estimate the realized direct response from one cycle of phenotypic selection for NDSF concentration; (ii) evaluate association of NDSF concentration with other forage quality traits, and; (iii) determine the impact of selection for NDSF concentration on in vitro dry matter digestibility (IVDMD) of alfalfa. Selection for NDSF was applied to five alfalfa populations from 1996 to 2000 and synthetic generation two seed was produced. Progress from selection for NDSF concentration was evaluated in plot trials for 2 or 3 yr at two locations near Ithaca, NY. Populations divergently selected for NDSF were 1.62 to 5.15 g [kg.sup.-1] of dry matter (DM) higher and 2.26 to 4.20 g [kg.sup.-1] DM lower, respectively, than their respective base populations. Neutral detergent soluble fiber concentration was negatively correlated with total cell wall concentration (CW), and proportions of neutral detergent fiber (NDF), cellulose, and lignin in the CW. A positive correlation existed between NDSF concentration and crude protein (CP) concentration and IVDMD. Populations bred for higher or lower NDSF concentration had 0.20 to 8.82 g [kg.sup.-1] DM higher IVDMD and 0.63 to 15.06 g [kg.sup.-1] DM lower IVDMD than their respective base populations. Selection for NDSF concentration and indirectly for CP, total CW concentration and composition, and IVDMD of alfalfa forage was successful., ALFALFA is the predominant forage source of protein for dairy cattle in temperate regions. High levels of soluble protein typically present in alfalfa exceed the capacity of rumen microbes to [...]

The choice of plants in nest sites and individual night nests of a group of gorillas (Gorilla beringei) were investigated in the Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, Uganda. It was found that the gorillas used 62 plant genera in their nests out of a possible 108 plant genera available in the immediate environment in which Pteridium spp. or Mimulopsis spp. were the dominant plants.

The objectives of this study were to partition corn grain into three digestible fractions and to measure the rate of disappearance of these fractions in vitro. Seventeen corn grain samples with varied fiber concentrations were extracted with either 80% ethanol or neutral detergent to obtain estimates of the pool size and digestion kinetics of the A, B1, B2, and C fractions. The carbohydrate soluble in 80% ethanol averaged only 2.6 +/- .3% of the DM, although 80% ethanol extracted 7.1 +/- 1.2% of DM of corn grain. The ethanol-soluble fraction of corn grain contained protein, ether-extractable compounds, and a small amount of ash in addition to carbohydrate. Because of this chemical heterogeneity and because of the small size of the ethanolsoluble fraction, it was not possible to determine the digestion rate of this fraction by measuring gas production. The NDF content of the corn grain was 10.6 +/- .7% of DM and was highly digestible (94.6 +/- 1.4%). The digestible NDF contributed 9.5% of the total gas production from corn grain. Because the size, digestibility, and digestion rate of the digestible NDF fraction varied little among corn grain samples, it is not necessary to routinely analyze the digestion kinetics of the digestible NDF fraction of dried corn grain. An average gas production curve of this fraction can be used as a base to subtract from the total gas production curve to generate the gas production curve of the neutral detergent-soluble fraction for dried, ground corn grain samples. Key Words: In Vitro, Rumen Gases, Digestion, Maize, Digestibility

A study was conducted to analyze 16S rRNA sequences and selected phenotypic properties for isolated bacteria that have the ability to tolerate high levels of hydrolyzable and condensed tannins. The bacteria were determined from the ruminal contents of animals in various geographic sites. Experimental results indicated that the presence of tannin-tolerant bacteria is not hindered by climate, geography or host animal.

Three novel fluorescent probes were utilized for the analysis of competition experiments with Ruminococcus albus and Finbrobacter succinogenes. Membrane and solution hybridizations with the molecular beacons led to an 80% decease in fluorescence due to the hybridization of the molecular probes with a single mismatched pair. The secondary structure of the ribosomal ribonucleic acid in the hybridization assay also exhibited refolding after the denaturation process.

The contents of the fiber-bound nitrogen are studied to estimate the amount of protein supplied to the mountain gorillas (Gorilla beringei) in their diets. The analysis has shown to be extremely helpful in understanding the protein adequacy and protein metabolism of the primates.

The spatial, organizational and temporal couplings of the coupled human and natural systems (CHANS) that are developed from the interactions taking place between humans and natural systems is discussed.

This study compared the amino acid (AA) profile of five residues (original forage, boratephosphate buffer residue (BPR), neutral detergent fiber residue with (NDF+) and without (NDF-) sodium sulfite, and acid detergent fiber residue (ADF). Fourteen grasses and legumes from tropical and temperate regions were used in this study. The use of sodium sulfite did not affect the NDF concentration, but the NDF insoluble protein was lower (P [is less than] 0.05) in the NDF+ than in the NDF- (3.9 vs 4.5% DM, respectively). For all of the amino acids tested, the amino acid content, expressed as a percentage of CP, was lower in the ADF residue than in the original forage. There were no differences in the amino acid concentrations of the NDF--and NDF+ extracts (P [is greater than] 0.05). Only in the case of methionine was there a difference in the amount of amino acid when the original forage was compared with the BPR (1.84 vs 1.45 % CP). When the AA profile of each residue was corrected for the AA content of the ADF, no difference was observed between the AA profile of the original forage and of the BPR (P [is greater than] 0.05). Similar to the result without correction for the amino acids in ADF, the AA profiles of the NDF+ and NDF- fractions were similar (P [is greater than] 0.05). From this result, we infer that the sodium sulfite had similar effects on all AA in the NDF residue that we tested. There were differences in amino acid concentrations in the original forage and the NDF residues for several amino acids (Met, Cys, Lys, Thr, Arg, Ile, Leu, and Phe) (P [is less than] 0.05). When the amino acid values of the original forage and the BPR were used with animal data in the Cornell Net Carbohydrate and Protein System model, few differences in animal predicted performance were evident. These findings suggest that the AA profile of the original forage can be used to predict the AA profile of the undegraded intake protein instead of using the borate-phosphate buffer residue for amino acid analyses. This would simplify obtaining feed amino acid values for use in the Cornell Net Carbohydrate and Protein System. Key Words: Amino Acids, Borates, Fiber, Models, Protein

Increasing neutral detergent-soluble fiber (NDSF) concentration has been considered a strategy for breeding alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) with improved quality. Pectin is the main component of NDSF and is highly digestible, but the assay for NDSF is time-consuming. The objectives were (i) to determine the potential use of near infrared reflectance spectroscopy (NIRS) to predict NDSF concentration in alfalfa and (ii) to estimate NDSF heritability and gain from selection. Herbage was sampled five times across 2 yr from two populations of half-sib (HS) progeny tested at Ithaca, NY. Calibration equations were developed by multiple linear regression of laboratory values of NDSF on NIRS spectra. Samples from one harvest were assayed twice to compare extraction methods. Means of NDSF from 90- and 80%-ethanol extractions were 213.1 ± 7.21 and 179.5 ± 5.89 g [kg.sup.-1], respectively. Assay standard deviations were low for both ethanol concentrations. Because a better calibration equation was obtained with the 80%-ethanol assay, all remaining samples were assayed by that technique. Standard errors of calibration were small, ranging from 4.71 to 7.54 g [kg.sup.-1]. Coefficients of multiple determination ([R.sup.2]) ranged from 0.72 to 0.97. Most heritability estimates for NDSF were significantly greater than zero, ranging from -0.03 ± 0.20 to 0.56 ± 0.17 and averaging 0.41. Expected gain from selection of parents based on HS progeny ranged from 4.6 to 19.0 g [kg.sup.-1] and averaged 10.3 g [kg.sup.-1]. Selecting parents with higher NDSF concentrations predicted by NIRS evaluations of HS progenies may improve forage quality of alfalfa., ALFALFA is the dominant forage legume in dairy cattle rations in the northern USA. The factors associated with its widespread use are high yield and high forage quality. Cultivars with [...]

Major objectives for alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) breeding include improving forage quality and levels of disease resistance. Little is known about the associations between forage quality characteristics, including pectin (the main component of neutral detergent-soluble fiber [NDSF]), and disease resistance and vigor in alfalfa. Our objectives were to determine, in two alfalfa populations, the (i) correlations among NDSF and other forage quality traits; (ii) correlations of forage quality traits with plant persistence, vigor, and levels of resistance to diseases; and (iii) heritabilities and expected gains from selection for the aforementioned traits. Simple, phenotypic, and additive genetic correlation coefficients were estimated from half-sib (HS) progeny tests of two alfalfa populations (NY9505 and NY9515). In both populations, NDSF was negatively correlated with acid detergent fiber (ADF), lignin, and neutral detergent fiber (NDF), and positively correlated with true in vitro dry matter digestibility (IVDMD). Vigor was positively correlated with ADF, lignin, and NDF, and negatively correlated with IVDMD and crude protein (CP) only in NY9515. Of 144 correlation coefficients computed between forage quality traits and resistances to five major alfalfa diseases, only six were significant, and they were low in magnitude (-0.22 ± 0.11 to 0.30 ± 0.14). In an alfalfa improvement program, selection for forage quality is not expected to indirectly affect levels of disease resistance, but it may reduce vigor., MAJOR OBJECTIVES of alfalfa breeding in the USA include improving forage quality and multiple disease resistance. Improvement in forage quality has been accomplished mostly by selecting for higher crude protein [...]

The objective was to determine in vitro the NDF insoluble protein (NDIP) extension and degradation rate of four tropical grasses by the potential effect of N fertilization. The grasses (Andropogon gayanus, Brachiaria brizantha, Cynodon plectostachyus and Megathyrsus maximus) that grow in Mexico were used. Each grass was grown in four plots (5×5 m), fertilized (relationship equivalent to 0 and 100 kg N/ha) and clipped 35 d after the N fertilization. A complete randomized block design with factorial arrangement 4×2, and two replicates per treatment was used, where the factors were grass species and N fertilization. Non-protein nitrogen (NPN), buffer insoluble protein (IP), NDIP and acid detergent insoluble protein (ADIP) were performed. Freeze-dried samples were incubated at 0, 1.5, 3, 6, 9, 12, 24, 48 and 96 h. After fermentation, the CP content of the NDF residues was determined. An exponential equation was used to determine the rate of the NDIP disappearance. There was no detectable interaction between type of grass and fertilization level. The NDIP (as %CP) averaged 35 % with a range of 10 to 60 %. The NDIP variation was primarily due to species. The extent and rates of degradation of the NDIP were 70.6 % and 7.1 %/h respectively, with no N-fertilization effect. The NDIP was degraded faster (P≤0.05) than NDF (7.7 vs 5.0 %/h). These data show that the NDIP is ruminally degraded and that this fraction significantly contributes to the rumen nitrogen supply. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]