Proceedings Buffalo Workshop December  2001

http://www.mekarn.org/procbuf/nhi.htm

 

Supplementing cassava root meal and cassava processed leaves to diets based on natural grasses, maize stover and rice straw  for fattening young swamp buffaloes

 

                                                  Dao Lan Nhi, Mai Van Sanh and Le Viet Ly

                                                    National Institute of Animal Husbandry, Hanoi

 

Abstracts

Two experiments were conducted to evaluate the effects of different levels of cassava root meal and processed cassava leaves supplemented to the diets based on maize stover or natural grasses and rice straw on performance of growing-fattening male buffaloes. In each experiment, 20 male buffaloes 19-21 months of age and body weight of 110-130 kg was divided into 4 groups of 5 each with a randomized block design. In Expt. I, buffaloes were fed maize stover, rice straw and supplemented mixture of cassava root meal (CRM) and cassava leaf meal (CLM) (ratio 1:1) with the levels of 0.8, 1.6, 2.4 and 3.2 kg. In Expt. II, buffaloes were fed natural grasses, rice straw and supplemented 0.5 kg cassava root meal plus 1.4, 2.8, 4.2, 5.6 kg cassava leaf silage (CLS).

Increased the levels of cassava root meal and cassava leaf meal or cassava leaf silage resulted in increased dry matter (DM) intake and body weight gain. At the level of 2.4 kg mixture of CRM and CLM or 0.5 kg CRM and 5.6 kg CLS, buffaloes gained 500-600 g/day, feed consumption was 10.5-11.0 kg DM. The profit per fattening head was 230-249 thousand VND during 3 months. Cassava leaf can be used as supplemented feed for growing fatenning buffaloes in dry form or silage.  

Introduction

The major feeds for buffalo are natural grasses and crop residues as maize stover and rice straw which are low in protein and energy. Supplementation of high protein and energy feeds is necessary for the growing-finishing buffalo to maximze the potential of meat production. In Vietnam, cassava is one of the important crops for farmers in mountainous provinces. Cassava leaf has high crude protein concentration (from 16,7 to 39,8%, Allen, 1984). However, there were not much interest to use fresh cassava leaves in animal feeding. Buitrago (1990) stated that the great limitation of using cassava leaf as animal feed is its content of Cyanogenic glucosides. The most common procedures for reducing the concentration of these substances are sun-drying and ensiling (Wanapat, 1997; Pham Sy Tiep, 1999; Duong Thanh Liem et al., 2000). The yield of cassava leaves was 2.5-3.0 tonnes (containing 500-600 kg dry matter and 110-130 kg crude protein per ha prior to root havesting Bui Van Chinh et al., 1992).

The objective of the experiments was to study the effects of different levels of cassava root meal and processed cassava leaves supplementing to diets based on natural grasses and crop residues on performance of growing-finishing male buffaloes.

Materials and methods

Location: The experiments were carried out at the Centre for Livestock Research and Development in the moutainous region of Thai nguyen province

Experimental design: Fourty male swamp buffaloes (19-21 months of age) with live weight of 110-130 kg were allocated into two experiments. In each experiment, 20 buffaloes were block and divided into 4 groups (5 per each) with a randomized block design according to body weight and age of animals.

Processing cassava leaves: The fresh cassava leaves were collected before havesting.

-  For cassava leaf meal: Cassava leaves were dried under sun light and groud by machine.

- For ensiling: cassava leaves were mixed with 10% cassava root meal and salt (1 kg salt for 1 tonne of cassava leaves), put in plastic bags and incubated for 45-50 days before feeding.

 

Table 1. The experimental design

Feed

Treat. 1

Treat. 2

Treat. 3

Treat. 4

 Exp. 1.  CLM

Fresh maize stover (kg)

10-12

10-12

10-12

10-12

Rice straw*

Ad lib.

Ad lib.

Ad lib.

ad lib.

Cassava root meal (kg)

0.4

0.8

1.2

1.6

Cassava leaf meal (kg)

0.4

0.8

1.2

1.6

 Exp. 2. CLS

Natural grasses (kg)

12-15

12-15

12-15

12-15

Rice straw*

Ad lib.

Ad lib.

Ad lib.

ad lib.

Cassava root meal (kg)

0.5

0.5

0.5

0.5

Cassava leaf silage (kg)

1.4

2.8

4.2

5.6

CLM: Cassava leaf meal

CLS: Cassava leaf silage

Animal feeding and management: Maize stover or natural grasses and rice straw were given at 7:00; 11:00; 15:00 and 18:00 h. Cassava root meal and processed cassava leaves (meal or silage) were given at 7:00 and 15:00 h. Buffaloes were kept and fed individually indoor with exercise dailly for a few hours outside. Water was available in the trough which was cleaned every day.

Data collection procedure: Refusals were weighed daily in the morning before supplying new feeds. Body weight was determined every month (weighed in the morning before feeding and drinking). Feed composition was analyzed twice a month by the procedure of Vietnam, 1986.

Experimental duration: The feeding period was 3 months (excluding the feed adaptation time of 10 days)

Statistical analysis:  Data was analyzed by ANOVA, using the General Linear Model in the Minitab programme release 12.21 (1998).

Results and discussion

Chemical composition of feeds

Composition of the diet ingredients was in accordance with expectations (Table 2). The values of HCN was 14.6 mg/kg in cassava leaf silage and 18.7 mg/kg in cassava leaf meal. These data were lower than that of previous reports by Bui Van Chinh et al., 1992 and Wanapat et al., 1997.

Table 2. Chemical composition of feeds

Feed

DM(%)

CP*

EE*

CF*

NEF*

HCN mg/kg

Cassava leaf meal

91.5

21.1

4.5

13.9

39.7

18.7

Cassava leaf silage

33.4

16.5

4.6

16.8

12.0

14.6

Cassava root meal

92.8

1.2

2.4

4.3

77.1

-

Natural grasses

22.0

8.8

1.5

6.9

16.7

-

Maize stover

28.4

4.1

1.2

4.5

6.7

-

Rice straw

89.2

4.6

1.8

30.5

29.8

-

      (*): percent in dry matter   

Feed intake and body weight gain of buffaloes in Experiment I

The buffaloes in all treatments readily consumed most feeds supplied, indicated no toxin and palatability problems, except the buffaloes in treatment 4, they consumed only 2.6 kg/day of mixed cassava leaf and root meal (Table 3).

Dry matter intake increased following the increace of CRM and cassava processed leaves. The dry matter intake (kg/day) were different significantly (P<0,05)  between 1 and 2 and 3 but no difference between treatment 3 and 4. Higher supplemented level of 3.2 kg did not significantly give any intake and growth (0.600 kg/day) of buffaloes.

Table 3. Daily feed intake and body weight gain of buffaloes fed maize stver, rice straw and supplemented CRM/CLM

 

Supplemental levels (kg/day)

CRM/CLM

0.4/0.4

0.8/0.8

1.2/1.2

1.3/1.3

Total DM intake (kg/day)

5.5a

5.9b

6.3c

6.4c

          % Body weight

2.67

2.82

2.93

2.94

CRM and CLM intake (kg)

0.67

1.08

1.67

2.17

Maize tover intake (kg)

3.08

2.97

3.00

3.25

Rice straw intake (kg)

1.75

1.85

1.60

0.98

Total crude protein (g)

351a

437b

518c

545c

Metabolisable energy (MJ)

42.0a

48.9b

54.9c

56.4c

Initial weight (kg)

194.6

196.7

197.5

195.6

Final weight (kg)

220.3

235.5

250.1

249.6

Total gain (kg)

25.7

38.8

52.6

54.0

Live weight gain (kg/day)

0.285a

0.431b

0.585c

0.600c

Feed conversion (kg DM/kg of gain)

19.2

13.7

10.7

10.6

abc Different superscript within rows indicates significant diferences

Feed intake and body weight gain of buffaloes in Experiment II

There was a trend towards increase of body weight gain (kg/day) follow the increase levels of supplemental. Dry matter intake increased following the increace of cassava leaf silage. The dry matter intake (kg/day) were different significantly (P<0,05)  between treatment 1 and 3 and 4. Body weight gain also increased following the increase of cassava leaf silage.

Table 4. Daily feed intake and body weight gain of buffaloes fed natural grasses, rice straw and supplemented CRM/CLS

 

CRM/CLS (kg/day)

 

0.5/1.4

0.5/2.8

0.5/4.2

0.5/5.6

          Total DM intake (kg/day)

5.3a

5.6ab

5.8b

6.1c

          % Body weight            

2.78

2.84

2.80

2.90

          CRM and ECL intake

0.69

1.17

1.45

2.10

          Natural grasses intake

2.86

2.95

3.05

2.98

          Rice straw intake

1.75

1.47

1.30

1.05

Total crude protein (g)

433a

498ab

535b

563c

Metabolis energy (MJ)

43.0a

46.9ab

49.7b

54.0c

Initial weight (kg)

193.4

195.8

192.1

196.9

Final weight (kg)

223.5

230.4

235.7

247.0

Total weight gain (kg)

20.5

34.6

43.6

50.1

Live weight gain (g/day)

0.334a

0.384b

0.483c

0.557c

Feed conversion (kg DM/kg of gain)

15.5

14.4

11.8

10.9

abc Different superscript within rows indicates significant diferences

The mean daily gain was highest (0.550-0.600 kg/day) and the best feed conversion (about 11 kg DM/kg weight gain) in the treatments with 30-35 % of CRM and cassava leaves in total DM intake. These results were in agreement with the study of Wanapat and Wachirapakorn (1990) who reported that the daily gain was 542-551 g and feed conversion rate was 10.6-10.7 kg DM/kg weight gain of the feedlot buffaloes fed on ure-treated rice straw based diet with supplement of concentrate.

Economic Efficiency

 

Table 5. Estimation of cost/benefit from feeding growing-finishing buffalo

(1,000 VND/head)

 

CRM/CLM (kg/day)

CRM/ECL (kg/day)

Supplemental levels

0.4/0.4

0.8/0.8

1.2/1.2

1.6/1.6

0.5/1.4

0.5/2.8

0.5/4.2

0.5/5.6

Init.value of buffalo

1654

1671

1678

1662

1643

1664

1632

1673

Total feed cost

  177

 245

  312

  320

170

206

237

271

Other costs

    30

   30

    30

    30

30

30

30

30

Total

1861

1946

2020

2012

1843

1900

1899

1974

Fin.value of buffalo

1992

2119

2250

2246

2012

2074

2121

2223

Net profit

131

173

230

234

169

175

222

249

Fattening young buffalo diet of 10-12 kg of maize stover or 12-15 kg of natural grass and rice straw offered ad libitum are supplementing of 0.5-1.2 kg of cassava root meal plus 1.2 kg of cassava leaf meal or 5.6 kg of ensilaged cassava leaves can get the profit of 230.0-249.0 thousands VND/head after 3 months,

Conclusions

- Supplementing to based diet including maize stover or natural grasses and rice straw with cassava root meal and processed cassava leaves (drying or ensiling matterial) at the rate of 30-35 % (DM basis), the young male buffalo gained  0.550-0.600 kg/day and feed consumption of 10.5-11.0 kg DM/kg live weight gain.

         -  The net profit for fattening young male buffalo with those diets was 230-249  thousand VND/head after 3 months.

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