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Matching Livestock Systems with Available Resources |
MEKARN Regional Conference 2007 |
Four growing buffaloes (man LW 226 kg) and four growing local cattle (mean LW 145 kg) were allocated to 4 diets according to 2*2 factorial within a double Latin square design (one for each species). The main coarse feed was para grass (1% body weight, DM basis) and rice straw fed ad libitum. The supplements were 150g and 200g crude protein (CP)/100kg LW/day from Sesbania grandiflora foliage and urea, or from cottonseed cake. The periods on each diet were 28 days with measurements of digestibility and N balance over the last 6 days.
DM intake did not differ between cottonseed meal and sesbania/urea supplementation; but was higher for the 200g CP level than the 150g level. There were no differences between species when DM intake was expressed on the basis of metabolic live weight but daily weight gain was higher for buffaloes. The DM and NDF apparent digestibilities were higher in buffaloes than in cattle (53 vs. 49.9 % and 57.9 vs 54.0%).. Crude protein apparent digestibility did not differ between species but was higher for the higher level of CP supplementation. Ruminal NH3-N concentration was higher with the 200g CP level than with 100 g CP, both before and 3 hours after feeding.
It is concluded that cottonseed meal and foliage of Sesbania grandiflora plus urea have similar properties in providing rumen fermentable nitrogen and bypass protein for cattle and buffaloes fed rice straw and grass basal diets. Apparent digestibility coefficients were higher for DM and NDF in buffaloes than in cattle. N retention was also higher and this was reflected in higher live weight gains for the buffaloes. There was no difference in N retention between species when expressed on basis of metabolic live weight (W0.75).