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Matching Livestock Systems with Available Resources |
MEKARN Regional Conference 2007 |
Cantho University, Cantho, Vietnam
ltmen@ctu.edu.vn
The prevalence, usages and nutritional components of the available local green plants in the Mekong Delta of Vietnam have been estimated, because of the concern about the ecological balance and the need to identify their valuable traits. In this study, the main interest is in their nutritional values as potential sources of feed for live stock. The two vegetable herbs Rau Dua (Ludwidgia adscendens) and Rau Sam (Portulaca oleracea) were studied in the natural condition and also when cultivated. They were then tested as component of the feed for pigs on the University farm. Rau Dua (RD) with two ecotypes (RD do, RD xanh) and Rau Sam (RS) were studied for biomass yield and chemical composition when grown in three different soils (alluvium-high land, alluvium and brackish water).
In the natural condition, the biomass and nutritive values of both ecotypes of Ludwidgia adscendens and also of Portulaca oleracea were higher in the alluvial areas. Crude protein and crude fibre were 17.5 and 7.5% (in DM), respectively for Ludwidgia adscendens and 20.7 and 9.1%, respectively for Portulaca oleracea. When grown in ponds fertilized with pig manure, the fresh biomass yield for Ludwidgia adscendens was 19.7 tonnes/ha and 1.9 tonnes/ha as DM. The contents in DM basis of CP, EE, CF and ash were 22.7, 4.8, 6.1 and 10.4%, respectively. The average fresh biomass yield of Portulaca oleracea, grown on soil fertilized by pig manure was 4.40 tonnes/ha and 0.34 tonnes/ha as DM. CP, EE, CF and ash were 22.2, 5.4, 10.0 and 19.1% in DM, respectively. When offered as supplements to sows , intakes were 2 and 1.7 kg/day for Ludwidgia adscendens and Portulaca oleracea. Comparable data for growing pigs were 1.3 and 1.0 kg/day.