Effect of salt (NaCl) addition to fresh cassava foliage on feed intake, ruminal ecology and apparent digestibility coefficients in native cattle

V Phanthavong, K Siton, P Ammaly,  K Sunkanh,  P Vanthong and M Wanapat*

Livestock Research Center, National Agriculture and Forestry Research Institute, Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry,
 PO Box 811, Vientiane, Lao PDR
phanthavongkv@hotmail.com
* Tropical Feed Resources Research and Development Center (TROFREC), Department of Animal Science, Faculty of Agriculture, Khon Kaen University,  Khon Kaen 40002, Thailand

Three male Yellow cattle approximately 2 years of age were arranged in a 3*3 Latin square design with 3 treatments and 3 replications. The treatments were: RCH: rice straw + cassava hay at 1 kg/hd/d, RCFC: rice straw + fresh cassava foliage at 4 kg/hd/d, RFCFs: rice straw + fresh cassava foliage at 4 kg/hd/d + NaCl  (salt). Salt solution (3% in water) was sprinkled on FCF at 0.5 litres/hd/d. All animals were provided with rumen supplement (65% cassava chip + 25% rice bran + 3% molasses + 3% urea + 1% sulfur) at 500 g/hd/d.

Daily intake of cassava foliage DM was highest on RFCFs (1.05 kg) and lowest on RFCFC (0.37 kg) with intermediate value for RCH (0.81 kg). Daily rice straw DM intake was also highest (2.86 kg) on RFCFs followed by RCFC (2.65 kg) with lowest value on RCH (2.21). Total daily DM intake was also highest on RCFCs (3.90 kg) with no difference between RCH (3.02 kg) and RCFC (3.02 kg). There were no differences in rumen ecology parameters, blood urea nitrogen and apparent digestibility coefficients among treatments.

Keywords: Yellow-cattle; cassava hay; fresh cassava; salt addition; rumen ecology; digestibility and feed intake