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Matching Livestock Systems with Available Resources |
MEKARN Regional Conference 2007 |
Fresh cassava root, molasses and rice bran were used as additives for making silage from wilted mulberry leaves. The levels of additives were 20, 5, 5 (% fresh basis), for fresh cassava root (CR20), molasses (M5) and rice bran (RB5), respectively. The times stored were 0, 7, 14 and 21 days. At each time the silage characteristics were measured. 48 laboratory silos were used according to 4*4 factorial arrangement with 3 additives and mulberry leave alone (ML). There were 3 replicates per treatment.
Dry matter content of all treatments decreased after 21 days of ensiling (594, 592, 616 and 585 g DM/kg , at 0 day of ensiling, and 494, 549, 581 and 549 g DM/kg (P=0.007) at 21 days of ensiling for CR20, M5, RB5 and ML, respectively). The crude protein content was increased: 106, 117, 109 and 115 (g/kg DM) at 0 day and 117, 135, 115 and 120 (P=0.000) at 21 days of ensiling for CR20, M5, RB5 and ML, respectively. Color of silages was changed to yellow-brown after 7 days of ensiling for all treatments and each had a good smell. The color did not change further. pH values fell to about 5 in the first 7 days of ensiling on all treatments (P=0.032) and reduced slightly until 21 days of ensiling, then remained constant for all treatments.
Six castrated crossbred pigs Large White x Mong Cai with average body weight of 20 kg were used to study the total tract digestibility of a basal diet of broken rice (restricted to 2 kg/100 kg live weight) supplemented with either ensiled (E) or fresh (F) mulberry leaves. The design was a single changeover arrangement. Mulberry leaves were made into silage, using the cassava root as an additive (20%, fresh basis). The ensiling period was for 21 days in order to ferment in sealed containers. Fresh mulberry leaves were chopped into small pieces (2-3 cm length) and offered in fresh form. The fresh mulberry leaves and the ensiled leaves were fed ad libitum.
Mulberry leaves intake both fresh and ensiled was similar (243 and 214g DM/day). However, the total daily dry matter feed intake was different between fresh and ensiled mulberry leaves (P= 0.020) (888 and 850 g/day). Total daily crude protein intake was 89 g/dayfor F and 88 g/day for E (P=0.773). Apparent digestibility in young fattening pigs fed E (952 g/kg) and F (920 g/kg) was not different (P=0.046). However, the crude protein digestibility of E (895 g/kg) was higher that F (822 g/kg) (P=0.033).
It was concluded that the quality of ensiled mulberry leaves can be improved by fresh cassava root, molasses and rice bran can as silage additives. Feeding ensiled mulberry leaves as supplement to a basal diet (consisting of broken rice) support higher digestibility of growing pigs than with fresh mulberry leaves.
Keywords: fresh cassava root, fresh mulberry leaves, ensiled mulberry leaves, pigs, digestibility.