Back to Content

MEKARN Conference 2010
 
Live stock production, climate change and resource depletion

Utilisation of Mimosa pigra as protein source for growing cattle in the Mekong Delta

Nguyen Thi Thu Hong

An Giang University, Vietnam
hongangiang@gmail.com


 

Abstract

This experiment was carried out on-station at Angiang University (Chau Phu district, An Giang province). Four Yellow cattle (102 kg live weight) were used in a 4*4 Latin square arrangement of four treatments with 4 replications each. The experiment was designed to compare effect of Para grass (RSPG) or mimosa hay (MH) on feed intake and digestibility in cattle fed a basal diet of urea-treated or untreated rice straw offered ad libitum.  Fresh para grass or mimosa hay were fed at levels of 6 g DM/kg live weight. The rumen supplement (mainly urea, sulphur and other minerals) was given as at 0.25% of live weight.

 

Feed intake and apparent digestibility coefficients for crude protein were increased by supplementation with mimosa hay compared with para grass (240 and 220 g DM/day) and (63.1% and 61.6%),  respectively. A supplement of Mimosa pigra supports better growth in cattle than a supplement of Para grass and is an effective way to make use of what is otherwise an invasive weed.

 

Key words: intake, digestibility, cattles, mimosa hay, para grass