The utilisation of rubber (Hevea brasiliensis) seed cake as
protein source for growing goats 

Nguyen van Hao and Duong Thanh Liem

University of Agriculture and Forestry,
Thu Duc , Ho Chi Minh City
qthieu@hcm.vnn.vn

 

Abstract

The objective of this experiment was to evaluate the effect of different levels of Rubber seed cake as a protein supplement to diets based on Napier grass and cassava pomace fed to growing goats. Eighteen crossbred (local female x Anglo–Nubian male) goats (9  females and 9 males) of mean initial weight 20 kg were fed a basal diet of napier grass, cassava pomace and groundnut cake.  The rubber seed cake replaced 0, 50 or 100% of the groundnut cake, which was  15% of the diet DM, cassava pomace being 35% and Napier grass 50% (all on DM basis).

There were no differences in feed dry matter intake and daily weight gain . The growth rates were highest with male goats. Total intake of dry matter was 2.6% of the body weight.

Key words: Goats,  napier grass, cassava pomace, groundnut cake, Rubber seed cake, intake, growth

Introduction

Rubber seed  is an important by-product of rubber cultivation in many tropical countries, and is often included as a component of supplements fed to ruminants. In the Eastern region of South Vietnam, rubber is planted on a surface of about 450,000 ha (2001 Vietnam statistic report), including large and small scale plantations. The yield of seed is around 300-500 kg per hectare/year and is largely wasted. The seed with 25 percent crude protein is a potential  protein supplement for live stock, but heat treatment and storage are required to reduce the level of hydrocyanic acid (HCN) ( Anon 1976; Göhl 1998; 1981; Hutagalung 1981; Stosic and Kaykay 1981; Tinnimit 1985; Devendra 1981). In Kerala, India, feeding of  meal at 20 percent level has been found suitable for calves and lactating cows (Anon 1976) and Rajan et al (1990) used rubber seed cake at 20 percent level (for 200 days) for fattening goats for meat without adverse effect.

 

The objective of this experiment was to evaluate the effect of feeding  different levels of rubber seed cake as a protein supplement to diets based on locally available crop by-products on the growth of goats

 

Materials and methods

Location and design

The experiment was carried out in the goat farm of the University of Agriculture and Forestry Ho Chi Minh city with 18 crossbred goats (Anglo Nubian x Bach Thao) aged 8 months (9 females and 9 male s), weighing between 24 and 25 kg. The goats were vaccinated against foot and mouth disease and treated  against gastrointestinal parasites using Albendazole tablets before the commencement of the experiment.

The animals were assigned to three treatments, consisting of 3 levels of rubber seed cake replacing 0, 50 and 100% of the groundnut cake in the concentrate supplement, which was 15% of the diet DM, the remainder being cassava pomace (35%) and Napier grass (50%). There were six animals (3 females and 3 males) per treatment.

Feeding and management

The goats were individually housed. The Napier grass was chopped to 10 to 15 cm lengths and offered 2 times per day at 8.00 and 13.00 hours. The supplement containing cassava pomace, groundnut cake and / or rubber seed cake was given once at 08.00 hour. Drinking water and mineral lick blocks were available at all times.

Data collection and analyses

The animals were weighed when the experiment started and then once per week always at 7.00 am. The experiment lasted 90 days . The feed consumption was determined from the amounts offered and the feed refusals, which were collected from individual animals before feeding. DM content of Napier grass was determined daily. The feed and refusals were analyzed for DM, ash, organic matter (OM), nitrogen (N), neutral detergent fiber(NDF) and acid detergent fiber (ADF) according to AOAC (1990) methods.

Statistical analysis

 

The GLM option of ANOVA in the Minitab (1998) software was used to analyse the following model:

 

Y_i = p + A_i + e_i

_Yi =  growth or feed consumption, p = overall mean, A_i = effect of diets, e_i = random error.

  

Results

The high level of protein in the rubber seed cake and the relatively low level of fibre indicate that the seed had been decorticated and most of the oil extracted (Table 1).

 

There were no differences in feed intakes and growth rate due to replacement of groundnut by the rubber seed cake (Table 2). As a percentage of live weight the DM intakes were relatively low (less than 3%) .

Male goats had higher growth rates than females (Table 3).

 

 

 

Discussion

The goats on all dietary treatments readily consumed the feeds offered, indicating no palatability problems.  mean daily gains between the control and rubber seed cake supplement treatments. This excellent growth rates (116 g/day), on the diet in which rubber seed cake replaced all the groundnut cake result is in contrast with earlier reports  of negative effects on performance (Anon 1976; and Rajan et al 1990; FAO 1981; Hutagalung 1981; Stosic and Kaykay 1981; Tinnimit 1985), which were attributed to the presence of hydrogen cyanide and tannin. However, the rubber seed cake fed to the goats in this research had been stored  for five months and the shell was decorticated and subjected to heat treatment for 20 minutes before oil extraction. According to Devendra (1981) the rate of reduction in HCN levels is rapid for the first two months of storage. The HCN level in other rubber seed products was also found to decline during storage. Thus storage of rubber seed at room temperature for a minimum period of 2 months appears to be an effective method of reducing the HCN content of rubber seed and its products to safe levels.
 

Conclusions

It is concluded that:

• Rubber seed cake can be used as a protein supplement in the diet of growing goats, and results in no harmful effects on performance provided it has been stored for at least two months.

 

References

Anon 1976 Coordinated research project on utilization of agricultural by-products and industrial waste materials for evolving  ecoconomic rations for livestock, Annual Progress Report. Kerala Vet College, Trichur, India.

 

Devendra C 1981 Non-conventional feed resources in Asia and the Far East. FAO APHCA pub. 2, FAO, Bangkok.

 

Göhl  B 1998 Tropical feeds. FAO, Rome http://www.fao.org/ag/AGA/AGAP/FRG/afris/default.htm.

 

General Statistical office 2001 Statistical Publishing House. 184.pp.

 

Hutagalung R I 1981 The use of tree crops and their by-product for intensive animal production. In Intensive Animal Production in Developing Countries (ed. Smith A.J. and Gunn. R. G). BSAP Occas. Pub. No.4, 151-184.

 

MINITAB 1998 MINITAB release 10.2. Minitab Inc., 3081 Enterprise Drive, State College, PA 16801-3008, 814-238-3280, USA.

 

Rajan A, Sreekumaran T, Mammel JA and Vijayakumar V 1990 An assessment of the goitrogenic effect of rubber seed cake. Ind. J. of Animal Sci 60(8), 995-997.

 

Stosic D D and Kay-Kay J M 1981 Rubber seed as animal feed in Liberia. Wld. Anim. Rev. 39, 29-39.

 

Tinnimit P 1985 Rubber seed meal and oil palm meal for livestock feeding in Thailand. In: Relevance of crop residues as animal feed in developing countries (eds. Wanapat, M. and Devevdra, C.). Proc. of an International Workshop held in Khon Kean, Thailand, Nov, 29- Dec. 2, 1984. Funny Press, Bangkok, 368-381.

 

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