Effects of urea-molasses-multinutrient block supplementation on reproductive and productive performance of-dairy cattle under, smallholder farm

Tanzania Journal of Agricultural Sciences 2002, Vol. 5(2) : 81·90The effect of urea-molasses-multinutrient blocks (UMMB) as an energy and protein supplement on reproductive performance and milk yield of dairy cows was investigated in 18 crossbred cows from eight smallholder farms. In treatment 1 nine, cows were fed a maximum of 1 kg (UMMB per cow per day in addition to the routine feeds forage and maize bran) and in treatment 2 (control) nine cows were fed routine feeds only. The experiment started 4 weeks pre-partum and lasted for 120 days postpartum. Onset of ovarian activity was monitored through progesterone in 612 sequentially collected milk samples and rectal palpation. In treatment 1. the intervals between calving to completion of uterine involution, first rise of milk progesterone, occurrence of first oestrus and conception were (mean ±se) 24±7. 65.3±8. 99.7±12.8 and 120.2±10 days. respectively. In treatment 2. the intervals were 29.6±5. 77. 6±9. 115,9±l5 and 133. 7±14 days. respectively. The treatment differences were not significant (P> 0. 05). Milk production in treatment 1 increased significantly by 1.21 (P<0.001) while in treatment 2 it decreased by 0. 21. Body condition score (BCS) improved significantly by 0.15 (P<0.05) in treatment 1 compared to treatment 2 cows. Use of UMMB gave an overall profit of US$ 0. 34 per day of lactation from sale of milk that resulted from increased yield and milk due to shortened days open. It was concluded that dry season improvement of reproductive and productive performance of dairy cows under smallholder farms could be cost effectively achieved through supplementation with urea-molasses-multinutrient blocks

Effects of urea-molasses-multinutrient block supplementation on reproductive and productive performance of-dairy cattle under, smallholder farm

Tanzania Journal of Agricultural Sciences 2002, Vol. 5(2) : 81·90The effect of urea-molasses-multinutrient blocks (UMMB) as an energy and protein supplement on reproductive performance and milk yield of dairy cows was investigated in 18 crossbred cows from eight smallholder farms. In treatment 1 nine, cows were fed a maximum of 1 kg (UMMB per cow per day in addition to the routine feeds forage and maize bran) and in treatment 2 (control) nine cows were fed routine feeds only. The experiment started 4 weeks pre-partum and lasted for 120 days postpartum. Onset of ovarian activity was monitored through progesterone in 612 sequentially collected milk samples and rectal palpation. In treatment 1. the intervals between calving to completion of uterine involution, first rise of milk progesterone, occurrence of first oestrus and conception were (mean ±se) 24±7. 65.3±8. 99.7±12.8 and 120.2±10 days. respectively. In treatment 2. the intervals were 29.6±5. 77. 6±9. 115,9±l5 and 133. 7±14 days. respectively. The treatment differences were not significant (P> 0. 05). Milk production in treatment 1 increased significantly by 1.21 (P<0.001) while in treatment 2 it decreased by 0. 21. Body condition score (BCS) improved significantly by 0.15 (P<0.05) in treatment 1 compared to treatment 2 cows. Use of UMMB gave an overall profit of US$ 0. 34 per day of lactation from sale of milk that resulted from increased yield and milk due to shortened days open. It was concluded that dry season improvement of reproductive and productive performance of dairy cows under smallholder farms could be cost effectively achieved through supplementation with urea-molasses-multinutrient blocks

Effect of cassava (Manihot esculenta) root meal supplemented with Nile Perch (Lates niloticus) fish waste on the rumen environment

Proceedings of the 13th ISTRC symposium 2007, Arusha, TanzaniaAbstract. The supplementary effect of cassava (Manihot esculenta) root meal (CRM) and Nile Perch (Lates niloticus) fish waste (FW) on the rumen environment was compared to that hominy meal (HM) and cotton seed cake (CSC). The feed’s degradability characteristics and chemical contents, rumen pH and rumen ammonia nitrogen (NH3 -N) levels in cows fed on four ration combinations (HM + CSC, CRM +CSC; HM + FW and CRM +FW) denoted as T1, T2, T3, T4, respectively) were determined. Results showed that DM degradability at 48h for CRM was higher (P<0.05) than that of HM (920 vs 835 g/kg). HM had higher (P<0.05) CP content than CRM (946 vs 837 g/kg) respectively. Both DM and CP contents of CSC were higher (P< 0.05) than those of FW (739 and 887 vs 367 and 598 g/kg) respectively. The degradability of DM for the TR1 and TR2 rations was higher (P< 0.05) than that of TR3 and TR4 (801 and 799 vs 727 and 616 g/kg DM respectively. TR2 had higher (P< 0.05) rates of DM degradability than the rest of the rations. The ruminal pH and NH3-N values differed (P< 0.05) between treatments. Treatments containing FW (TR3 and TR4) had higher (P< 0.05) NH3-N than those containing CSC (TR1 and TR2) (284.7 and 203.7 vs 135.8,and 183.9 mg/l). It is concluded that CRM when fed in combination with FW gave higher DMD values and provided a better fermentation environment than HM and CSC. It is further concluded that CRM and FW could be good substitutes for HM and CSC as sources of energy and nitrogen for dairy cattle and other ruminant animal

Substitution of hominy meal with cassava root meal as a source of energy for growing dairy heifers

Proceedings of the 13th ISTRC symposium, Arusha, TanzaniaAn experiment was carried out to evaluate the effect of cassava (Manihot esculenta) root meal (CRM) and fish wastes (FW) on the growth of dairy heifers in four rations. The rations were TR1 (66.5 % HM and 31.5 % CSC) TR2 (50 % CRM and 48 % CSC) TR3 (67.5 % HM and 30.5% FW) and TR4 (51.5 % CRM and 46.5 % FW). Twenty Ayrshire heifers (average weight 145±8 kg) were randomly allocated to the four rations in a completely randomized block design. Data was collected on dry matter intake (DMI), weight gain, glucose, Ca, P and protein blood levels. No difference (P>0.05) in weight gain was observed between heifers on TR1 and TR3. Heifers on TR2 showed faster growth rates (P< 0.05) than those in other treatments (i.e. 620 versus 490, 460 and 410 g for TR1, TR3 and TR4 respectively). Correspondingly heifers on TR2 had superior (P< 0.05) feed efficiency (0.116) followed in a descending order by TR1, TR3 and TR4 (0.097, 0.092 and 0.085 kg gain / kg feed. Heifers receiving diets containing FW had higher (P<0.05) Ca and P than those on CSC. Blood glucose and plasma protein were higher (P<0.05) in heifers receiving TR1 (97.07g/l and 3.3 mmol/l) than those on TR2 (94.86 g/l and 3.0 mmol/l). It is concluded that CRM could be used alone as energy source when combined with protein rich feeds like CSC and FW

Effect of cassava (Manihot esculenta) root meal supplemented with Nile Perch (Lates niloticus) fish waste on the rumen environment

Proceedings of the 13th ISTRC symposium 2007, Arusha, TanzaniaAbstract. The supplementary effect of cassava (Manihot esculenta) root meal (CRM) and Nile Perch (Lates niloticus) fish waste (FW) on the rumen environment was compared to that hominy meal (HM) and cotton seed cake (CSC). The feed’s degradability characteristics and chemical contents, rumen pH and rumen ammonia nitrogen (NH3 -N) levels in cows fed on four ration combinations (HM + CSC, CRM +CSC; HM + FW and CRM +FW) denoted as T1, T2, T3, T4, respectively) were determined. Results showed that DM degradability at 48h for CRM was higher (P<0.05) than that of HM (920 vs 835 g/kg). HM had higher (P<0.05) CP content than CRM (946 vs 837 g/kg) respectively. Both DM and CP contents of CSC were higher (P< 0.05) than those of FW (739 and 887 vs 367 and 598 g/kg) respectively. The degradability of DM for the TR1 and TR2 rations was higher (P< 0.05) than that of TR3 and TR4 (801 and 799 vs 727 and 616 g/kg DM respectively. TR2 had higher (P< 0.05) rates of DM degradability than the rest of the rations. The ruminal pH and NH3-N values differed (P< 0.05) between treatments. Treatments containing FW (TR3 and TR4) had higher (P< 0.05) NH3-N than those containing CSC (TR1 and TR2) (284.7 and 203.7 vs 135.8,and 183.9 mg/l). It is concluded that CRM when fed in combination with FW gave higher DMD values and provided a better fermentation environment than HM and CSC. It is further concluded that CRM and FW could be good substitutes for HM and CSC as sources of energy and nitrogen for dairy cattle and other ruminant animal

Degradação ruminal e estimativa de consumo de genótipos de capim-elefante anão Ruminal degradation and intake prediction of the dwarf elephant grass genotypes

Os objetivos neste estudo foram avaliar a degradação ruminal in situ da matéria seca (MS) e da fibra em detergente neutro (FDN) e estimar o consumo de matéria seca de genótipos de capim-elefante anão em diferentes intervalos de corte. Os tempos de incubação no ambiente ruminal foram 0, 3, 6, 12, 24, 36, 48, 72, 96 e 144 horas. O delineamento experimental utilizado foi o de blocos casualizados com três repetições (animais), dois genótipos de capim-elefante anão (CNPGL 94-34-3, CNPGL 92-198-7) e a cultivar Mott, avaliados em intervalos de corte de 14, 28, 42, 56, 70 e 84 dias, em esquema em parcelas subdivididas. Os parâmetros de degradação da MS e FDN e suas degradabilidades potencial e efetiva não apresentaram grande variação entre a cultivar Mott e os genótipos CNPGL 94-34-3 e CNPGL 92-198-7, mas reduziram substancialmente com o aumento da maturidade da planta em todos os genótipos. As estimativas de consumo geradas por duas equações são adequadas a esses alimentos.<br>The objectives of this study were to assess the in situ rumen degradation of dry matter (DM) and neutral detergent fiber (NDF) and the estimated DM intake of dwarf elephant grass genotypes in different cutting intervals. The incubation periods in the rumen environment were 0, 3, 6, 12, 24, 36, 48, 72, 96 and 144 hours. A randomized block design was used with three replications (animals), two dwarf elephant grass genotypes (CNPGL 94-34-3 and CNPGL 92-198-7) and the cv. Mott, with cutting intervals of 14, 28, 42, 56, 70 and 84 days, in a split plot design. The parameters of DM and NDF degradation, and its potential and effective degradabilities did not vary greatly for cv. Mott and the CNPGL 94-34-3 and CNPGL 92-198-7 genotypes, but they decreased substantially with increased plant maturity for all the genotypes. Intake estimates generated by two equations are considered valid for these feeds

Predição do Consumo Voluntário do Capim-Tanzânia (Panicum maximum, J. cv. tanzânia), sob Pastejo, por Vacas em Lactação, a partir das Características de Degradação Prediction of Tanzania Grass (Panicum Maximum, J.) Voluntary Intake, under Grazing by Lactating Cows, from Degradation Characteristics

O consumo de matéria seca (CMS) do capim tanzânia de 24 vacas lactantes mestiças (HPB x Gir) e Gir, sob pastejo, foi estimado no mês de janeiro de 1998, a partir da relação entre a digestibilidade da MS da forragem e a produção fecal obtida com auxílio do cromo mordente por meio de um modelo não-linear. Os resultados do consumo estimado foram comparados aos consumos preditos por diferentes equações baseadas nos dados de degradabilidade do capim, no rúmen. A pastagem foi manejada com taxa de lotação de dois animais/ha, em sistema de pastejo rotativo com três dias de ocupação do piquete e 39 dias de descanso. Foram utilizadas para predizer o CMS diferentes equações: CMS = -1,19 + 0,035 (a+ b) + 28,5c (1), CMS = -0,822 + 0,0748 (a+ b) + 40,7c (2), CMS = -8,286 + 0,266a + 0,102b +17,696c (3) e CMS = [%FDN na MS]* [consumo de FDN ] / [(1-a-b)/K P +b/(c+ k p)]/24] (4). As equações, em geral, subestimaram o consumo obtido no modelo não-linear (9,6 kg/vaca/dia). Os consumos médios de capim de 6,2 e 6,0 kg MS/vaca/dia obtidas, respectivamente, nas equações de (2) e (4) foram semelhantes entre si e inferiores ao das equações de (1) (12,7 kg/vaca/dia) e (3) (8,1 kg/vaca/dia). A predição do consumo de forrageiras tropicais, sob pastejo, utilizando-se as equações baseadas nas variáveis da degradação in situ, constitui um importante potencial para estas avaliações. Entretanto, mais estudos dessa natureza devem ser realizados para validar o uso destas equações na prática.<br>Dry matter intake (DMI) of Tanzania grass under grazing conditions was estimated using 24 Holstein-Zebu and Gir cows from the in vitro dry matter digestibility of extrusa samples (esophageal fistulated cows) and fecal output. The fecal output was estimated using chromium mordant and a non-linear model. The pasture was managed in a rotational system with three days paddock occupation and 39 days of resting period. The stocking rate was 2.0 cows/ha during the rainy season. Four different equations based on in situ degradation characteristics were used to predict DMI: DMI = -1.19 + 0.035 (a+ b) + 28.5c (1), DMI = -0.822 + 0.0748 (a+ b) + 40.7c (2), DMI = -8.286 + 0.266a + 0.102b +17.696c (3) and DMI = [%FDN MS]* [FDN intake] / [(1-a-b)/K P +b/(c+ k p)]/24] (4). The DMI predicted from the equations, in general, underestimated the results obtained with the non-linear model (9.6 kg DM/cow/day). The DMI data using the equations (2) and (4) (6.2 and 6.0 kg of DM/cow/day) were similar and different from the results obtained using equations (1) (12.7 kg DM/cow/day) and (3) (8.1 kg DM/cow/day). All the DMI were underestimated in relation to results from the non-linear model, except those from equation (1). The prediction of tropical forages intake, under grazing condition using equations based in degradation characteristics constitute an important tool for these evaluations. Eventhough, more studies need to be done to validate these equations in practice