Expriment 1. Four rumen-fistulated Sindhi-Yellow cattle were fed a basal diet of rice straw and grass (1:1 DM basis) and given a drench of 2, 4, 6 or 8 ml/kg LW of soybean oil in successive 30 day periods according to a 4*4 Latin square arrangement.
Expriment 2: A 4*4 Latin square design with four rumen-fistulated Sindhi-Yellow cattle were allotted including 4 periods corresponding to 4 diets: C: 100% fresh grass; CMU: Molasses plus restricted grass (50% DM basis) and 50g urea/100 kg LWt; CRD: rice straw plus restricted grass (50% DM basis) and 350-500g soya bean meal; CRU: rice straw plus restricted grass (50% DM basis)and 50 g urea/100 kg LWt with drench of soya bean oil at the rate of 6ml/kg live weight at the start of the trial in all diets.
Expriment 3: The design was a 3*2 factorial arrangement of three basal diets (molasses, rice bran and rice straw) and with or without an oil drench (0 or 6 ml soya bean oil /kg live weight). Thirty growing cattle of 132 to 144 kg live weight were allocated to the 6 treatments with 5 replicates per treatment and the trial period was 90 days.
- Oil treatment removed most of the protozoa, lowered the concentration of ammonia and increased the numbers of bacteria. There were linear increases in DM intake and DM digestibility according to the level of oil drench in the periods 20 to 25 days, and 26 to 30 days, after giving the oil. The use of 6 ml of oil/kg is suggested as the most appropriate dose level.
- In rations of low energy and protein, drenching of
soybean oil stimulated cattle
to consume more feeds in terms of DM and CP. Conversly, the advantage of oil
administration was not clear when cattle were supplied feeds balanced in
protein.
Treatmeants balanced in P/E ratio and high content of soluble carbohydrate
resulted in
high digestibility in cattle. It is obvious that oil supplementation has
improved
digestion, particularly in poor protein and energy diets.
- The growth rate and feed conversion rate of defaunated animals was improved
over faunated ones. The farmers could make a profit equivalent to 14-28%
of the additional investment after 3 months thanks to the increase in growth
rate of their animals.