The influence of fiber content of hay (low-fiber 47% NDF and high-fiber 62% NDF of DM) and concentrate level (high 50% and low 20% of ration DM) on chewing activity, passage rate and nutrient digestibility were tested on four restrict-fed (11.1 to 13.7 kg DM/d) Holstein cows in late lactation. Aspects of ruminal fermentation and digesta particle size distribution were also investigated on two ruminally cannulated (100 mm i.d.) cows of the same group of animals. All digestion parameters studied were more affected by the fiber content of the hay and its ratio to non structural carbohydrates than by the concentrate level. Giving a diet of highfiber (62% NDF) hay and low concentrate level (20%) increased chewing activity but decreased solid passage rate and total digestibility of nutrients due to a limited availability of fermentable OM in the late cut fiber rich hay. A supplementation of high-fiber hay with 50% concentrate in the diet seems to improve the ruminal digestion of cell contents, whilst a depression of the ruminal fiber digestibility was not completely avoided. Giving a diet of low-fiber (47% NDF) hay and high concentrate level (50%) reduced markedly the chewing and rumination activity, affected negatively the rumen conditions and, consequently, the ruminal digestion of fiber. A reduction of the concentrate level from 50 to 20% in the diet of low-fiber hay improved the rumen conditions as reflected by an increase of the ruminal solid passage rate and of fiber digestibility and in a decrease of the concentration of large particles and of the mean particle size of the rumen digesta and of the faeces. Generally, it can be summarised that, (i) concentrate supplementation is not a strategy to overcome limitations of low quality (fiber-rich) hay, and (ii) increase of the roughage quality is an effective strategy in ruminant nutrition, especially when concentrate availability for ruminants is limited.

Small ruminants in Albania seem to have a great importance within the livestock sector. The small ruminants' populations count almost 2.7 million heads, out of which 1.8 million are sheep. The estimated value of the commercialized small livestock population is about 35 million Euros. The total value of the small ruminant population is estimated at 140 million Euros. More than 1.5 million heads of small ruminants are consumed each year in the local market. Import of small ruminant?s meat was at a level of 599 ton/year (2010 data). This study aimed the assessment of the production systems and economics of sheep husbandry in the southern regions of Albania. The different husbandry systems employed (transhumant, non transhumant, semi-intensive) showed only slight differences in terms of outputs, but not the expected differences regarding inputs (feeds) and corresponding costs (semi-intensive system). The economic assessment demonstrates very useful and interesting results. Overall Gross Margin per ewe and lambs at weaning was in the area of 6,369.00 ALL (1 Euro=136 Albanian Lek, ALL), the range of GM was enormous between different farms (3,042.6 ALL - 11,322.4 ALL), mainly caused by the large differences in feeding and labor costs per ewe.

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Increased production of high yielding dairy cows requires high levels of feed intake and diets rich in energy and nutrients. High concentrate and low structural fibre proportion in the ration influence digestive processes and can lead to ruminal and metabolic disorders. Since food digestion begins in forestomach, ruminal environment is a decisive factor that has a pronounced effect on the extent of nutrients break down and utilization. The aim of the study is to estimate the effect of hay quality on ruminal fermentation of dairy cows through gas production. Lactating fistulated cows were taken as digesta donor animals. The diets were formulated by combining concentrate with two hay qualities (good and moderate, depended on NDF content). Digesta samples were taken one hour before and 2.5 hours after feeding. The samples were incubated without and with hay, concentrate and cellulose standards in the Gas Test Incubator and the gas volume were read at different hours after incubation. Hay quality showed a strong effect on the gas production. Gas production from blank samples one hour before feeding, by a moderate hay quality was significantly higher than by good hay quality, which indicates better fermentation conditions in rumen by feeding fibre rich hay. The influence of hay quality on the digestion of substrates is statistically proved. By feeding rich fibre hay the substrate was better digested, especially hay standard.