Water hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes): an invasive weed or a potential feed for goats?
 

Bui Phan Thu Hang, Truong Thi Bich Phuong, Vo Lam and T R Preston^*

Angiang University, Faculty of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Vietnam,
bpthang@agu.edu.vn, bpthang.agu@gmail.com
^*TOSOLY, AA48  Socorro, Santander, Colombia

Abstract

Water hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes) infestation of water surfaces is usually thought to be a problem. On the other hand, its capacity to remove nutrients from polluted water is an asset. Developing ways to use economically the foliage of water hyacinth is therefore an important goal for researchers.

The present study aimed to investigate if supplementation with other foliages would improve the utilization of water hyacinth by growing goats. Two experiments were conducted in the Angiang University Research Farm.  The digestibility study was a 4*4 Latin-square design with Sesbania sesban at levels of 1 or 2% of LW (DM basis) in basal diets of water hyacinth leaves or leaves + stems. The growth study was a Complete Randomized Design with the water hyacinth leaves ad lib and either Sesbania sesban, water spinach, natural grass or sweet potato vines (all at 1% of LW on DM basis). Feed intake and N retention were higher when water hyacinth leaves were the basal diet rather than leaves + stems. Growth rates were higher when Sesbania sesban, water spinach or sweet potato vines were used to supplement the water hyacinth leaves. 

Key words: digestibility, growth, N retention, nutrient intake, Sesbania sesban, sweet potato vines, water spinach

Introduction

Goat production has mainly based on household farms and involved in the farming system to utilize the resources being available. The development of goat production is limited by lack of green feeds during certain times of the year e.g. dry and flood seasons. Otherwise, the flooding areas, some aquatic plants are still abundant during the course of flooding so that goat farmers can use those.

Water hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes) is extremely high growth rate. According to Penfound and Earle (1948) (cited by Joyce, 1990) ten water hyacinth plants produce over 655,000 plants and cover 0.4 hectares in eight months so that it was treated as an endangered species. In addition to nutritive values of WH have similar to high quality forage (Easley and Shirley, 1974; Nguyen Nhut Xuan Dung, 1996), with 19.74% CP and 49.90% NDF/kg DM of leaves and it can be valuable for pigs and ruminants in the area (Son and Trung, 2002). In practice, WH has been used for water purification, and as green fertilizers for the land. In the Mekong delta of Vietnam, WH stems have been popularly used to make handicraft products for export and the leaves have been also used for feeding pigs, cattle and especially for goats. According to Tran Van Triet and Nguyen Van Thu (2009), water hyacinth (stem + leaves) can replacement of from 40 to 60% of the Para grass in diets for rabbits.

Sesbania sesban (L.) Merr. is a leguminous and medium shrub or short lived tree up to 8 m tall. Normally, S. sesban grows in wide range of soils, especially tolerate with acid sulfate soil, and grow best where periodic water logging or flooding is followed by a progressively drier season. The results reported by Kustantinah et al. (2005) shown that leaves of S. sesban contained 27% CP, and 16.6% CF in dry base. It is also recommended when supplement for local goats in Indonesia at weaning age significantly improved weight gain and feed intake (Kustantinah et al2005).

Water spinach (Ipomoea aquatica) has high biomass yield and crude protein (280 g/kg DM), crude fiber (120 g/kg DM) of fresh leaves and stems (Ly Thi Luyen, 2003; Ho Bunyeth, 2003). Water spinach has a high potential as a feed source for rabbits (Hongthong Phimmasan et al2004).

The objective of this study was to evaluate leaves or leaves + stems of water hyacinth as basal diet for growing goats and will supplementation with other foliages improve the utilization of water hyacinth by growing goats.

Materials and methods

Experiment 1: Effect of feeding different proportions of Water hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes) and Sesbania sesban foliage in the diet on intake, digestibility and N retention of growing goats

Experimental goats

The animals used in the experiment were 4 male weaned crossbred goats (Bachthao x local female) with an initial weight of 11 kg, and aged from 3 to 4 months. The goats were housed in metabolism cages, de-wormed with Ivomectin, vaccinated (foot-and-mouth disease) and gradually introduced to the experimental feeds 15 days for adaptation.

Feeds, diets and management

The feeds used in the experiment were water hyacinth, and Sesbania sesban. Water hyacinth for the trial was collected every day from ponds, canals and rivers around Angiang University Research  Farm. Sesbania sesban was cut from area surrounding the Chauphu district.

Sesbania sesban was hanged in bunches above the fodder trough. Water hyacinth (WH) was fed in plastic troughs for goats to choose freely. Amounts offered were decided weekly based on individual weight. The total feed intake was estimated to 3% of body weight as DM and the offer for the different treatments were calculated as a percentage of that. Diets were provided two times per day (08:00 h and 14:00 h) and the goats had free access to water and mineral lick. The compositions of ingredients are presented in Table 1.

Table 1. Chemical composition and nutritive value of digestibility experiment feed

Experimental design

The goats were randomly assigned to the four treatments in a 4 x 4 Latin square design, with four 21-day periods, comprising 14 days of adaptation, followed by 7-day periods of collection of faeces and urine, and 3 days for letting the animals move freely between periods. The diets were:

·         Water hyacinth leaves ad lib + 1% of  LW on DM basis of Sesbania sesban foliage  (WLS1)

·         Water hyacinth leaves ad lib + 2% of  LW on DM basis of Sesbania sesban foliage  (WLS2)

·         Water hyacinth foliage (leaves+stems) ad lib + 1% of  LW on DM basis of Sesbania sesban foliage  (WHS1)

·         Water hyacinth foliage (leaves+stems) ad lib + 2% of  LW on DM basis of Sesbania sesban foliage  (WHS2)

Experiment 2: Growth in crossbred goats fed a basal diet of Water hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes) leaves

Experimental goats

The animals used in the experiment were 16 weaned crossbred goats (Bachthao x local female) with an initial weight of 10 kg, and aged from 3 to 4 months. The goats were housed in individual cages, de-wormed with Ivomectin, vaccinated (foot-and-mouth disease) and gradually introduced to the experimental feeds 15 days for adaptation.

Feeds, diets and management

The feeds used in the experiment were water hyacinth leaves, water spinach, natural grass, sweet potato vine and Sesbania sesban. Water hyacinth for the trial was collected every day from ponds, canals and rivers around Angiang University Research Farm. Water spinach, natural grass, sweet potato vine and Sesbania sesban were cut from area surrounding the Chauphu district.

Water spinach, natural grass, sweet potato vine and Sesbania sesban were hanged in bunch above the fodder trough. Water hyacinth leaves (WHL) was fed in plastic troughs for goats to choose freely. Amounts offered were decided weekly based on individual weight. The total feed intake was estimated to 3% of body weight as DM and the offer for the different treatments were calculated as a percentage of that. Diets were provided two times per day (08:00 h and 14:00 h) and the goats had free access to water and mineral lick. The compositions of ingredients are presented in Table 2.

Table 2. Chemical composition and nutritive value of growth experiment feed

Experimental design

The experiment will be a Complete Randomized Design (CRD) with 4 treatments, 4 replications. The diets will be:

·         Water hyacinth leaves ad lib + Sesbania sesban (1% of LW DM basis)

·         Water hyacinth leaves ad lib + water spinach (1% of LW DM basis)

·         Water hyacinth leaves ad lib + natural grass (1% of LW DM basis)

·         Water hyacinth leaves ad lib + sweet potato vine(1% of LW DM basis)

Chemical analysis

The DM, CP and ash were determined according to AOAC, 1990. CP content of feedstuffs, refusals, fresh faeces, and urine was measured by the Kjeldahl methods as N*6.25 and ash was assayed by incinerating samples at 600^oC. The content of NDF and ADF were determined according to Van Soest and Robertson (1985), using sodium sulphate and amylase and expressed with residual ash.

Statistical analysis

 All raw data of the experiment will be computed and stored in the worksheets of the Excel Software Release XP version and processed before analysis of variance by using the General Linear Model (GLM) procedure of Minitab Software Release version 13.1. When the differences in treatment means is significant at the probability level of P<0.05 or 0.01, the means will be compared by using Tukey’s pairwise test.

Results and discussion

There was an increase in total intake of DM when using water hyacinth leaves as a basal diet with Sesbania sesban supplement at 1% or 2% of  LW on DM (Figure 1)

Nitrogen retention was high in the diets containing water hyacinth leaves as a basal diet with Sesbania sesban supplement at 1% or 2% of  LW on DM (Figure 2)

The apparent digestibility of DM was significantly lower in the diet containing water hyacinth foliage ad lib with 1% of  LW on DM basis of Sesbania sesban foliage  as compared to the other diets (Figure 3)

Feed intake during the growth experiment is given in Table 3. Total DM intake were significantly higher for the diet with sweet potato vine supplement than for the other diets. But there were no significant differences between the diets containing water spinach, natural grass, Sesbania sesban. However, the CP intake were significantly low for the diet containing natural grass.

Table 3. Feed intake during the growth experiment

^{a, b, c} Means within rows with different superscripts are significantly different (P<0.05)

Water spinach	Sesbania sesban	Natural grass
Sweet potato vine	Water hyacinth leaves
Figure 4: Proportion of diet components (DM basis)

Changes in live weight gain during the growth experiment are presented in Figure 5. The diets supplementation either Sesbania sesban, water spinach or  sweet potato vine resulted in a significantly higher daily weight gain as compared to diet supplementation natural grass.

Conclusions

Growing goats had higher nutrient intake and N retention when their diets were based on water hyacinth leaves rather than whole plant (leaves plus stems). Growth rates were higher when Sesbania sesban, water spinach or  sweet potato vine were used to supplement the water hyacinth leaves. In overall, water hyacinth leaves can be used as green forage for growing goats at small holder farms. The high proportion of leaves from handicraft can be available all year round for goats. We do not treat water hyacinth like weed!

References

AOAC 1990 Official Methods of Analysis, 15th edition. Association of the Official Analytical Chemists. Washington D.C.

Easley J F and Shirley R L 1974  Nutrients elements for livestock in aquatic plants. Hyacinth Control Journal, 12, 82-85.

Ho Bunyeth 2003  Biodigester effluent as fertilizer for water spinach established from seed or from cuttings; Retrieved, from MEKARN Mini-projects. http://www.mekarn.org/msc2003-05/miniprojects/webpage/buny.htm.

Hongthong Phimmasan, Siton Kongvongsay, Chhay Ty and Preston T R 2004  Water spinach (Ipomoea aquatica) and Stylo 184 (Stylosanthes guianensis CIAT 184) as basal diet for growing rabbits. Livestock Research for Rural Development. Vol. 16, Art. # 34. Retrieved from http://www.cipav.org.co/lrrd/lrrd16/05/hong16034.htm.

Joyce J C 1990  Aquatic Weeds. The Ecology and Management of Nuisance Aquatic Vegetation. Oxford University Press.

Kustantinah Hartadi H, Yusiati L M, Utomo  R, Agus A, Suhartanto B, Holil F  and Dahono E 2005  effect of supplementation of protein feeds to various roughages as a basal feed on the performance of Bligon goats in Indonesia. http://www.tropentag.de/2004/abstract/full/145.pdf

Ly Thi Luyen 2003  effect of the urea level on biomass production of water spinach (Ipomoea aquatica) grown in soil and in water; Retrieved, from MEKARN Mini-projects. http://www.mekarn.org/msc2003-05/miniprojects/webpage/luyen.htm.

Minitab 2000  Minitab Reference Manual, Release 13.1 for Windows. Minitab Inc, USA.

Nguyen Nhut Xuan Dung 1996  Identification and evaluation of non-cultivated plants used for livestock feed in the Mekong delta of Vietnam. MSc. Thesis. Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences.

Son V Vand Trung N B 2002  Utilization of Water Hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes) as a supplement in diet of fattening-finishing pigs. In: Workshop on development of new technologies and their practice for sustainable farming systems in the Mekong Delta of Vietnam. Cantho University, Vietnam, November 26^nd-28^th, 2002.

Tran Van Triet and Nguyen Van Thu 2009  Replacement of para grass (Brachiaria mutica)  by water hyacinth (Eichroria crassipes L): Effects on digestibility, feed intake and live weight gain in growing rabbits

Van Soest P  J  and Robertson J B 1985  Analysis of forages and fibre foods. A Laboratory Manual for Animal Science 613. Departmant of Animal Science. Cornell University. Ithaca, New York.