Test on Feeding Ammoniated and Micro-treated

Sugarcane Leaves to Buffalo

Jiang Mingsheng¹ Wei Yingming¹ Zou Longshu¹ Guan Yiyin²

(1 College of Animal Science and Technology, Guangxi Univ, Nanning China 530005,

2 Guangxi Instiute of Buffalo Science, Nanning 530001)

Abstract The experiment was conducted to study the effects of ammoniated and micro-treated sugarcane leaves on buffalo in the production performance and economic benefit. Eighteen buffaloes were randomly divided into three groups and fed ammoniated, micro-treated and the control sugarcane leaves to them respectively. The results showed that buffalo fed on the diets with ammoniated of micro-treated sugarcane leaves had significant difference(P<0.05) in the production performance. Both the treated leaves could increase feed consumption and improve CP (crude protein), DM (dry matter), NDF (neutral digestible fiber) degradation rate in the rumen in 48h, but the ammoniated sugarcane leaves was the best.

Key words Ammoniated, Micro-treated, Sugarcane Leaves

1 Introduction

Guangxi is the prime base of sugarcane products in China, Each year more than 500 thousand hm² of sugarcane are planted with 8 million tons by-product which are cheap and easily to collected. At the same time, study showed that it contains 5.68 Mj/kg DE and 3-6% CP and is a good feed resource for buffalo. However, it is not easy to use sugarcane leaves, because they contain high percentage of H₂O and CF(crude fiber), which made it hard to store. Thus, the study on the effect of the feeding value of ammoniated and micro-treated sugarcane leaves on buffalo is introduced.

2 Materials and Methods

2.1 Treating Sugarcane Leaves

The fresh sugarcane leaves with the same variety from the same place were selected and divided into three parts. Part one remained untreated(the control), Part two was added to 30/kg urea and 500 kg water each ton(Ammoniated), Part three added to 10 L microbe liquid each ton for making silage. The silage time lasted for 28-30d in silo.

2.2 Feed Experiments

A total of 18 Guangxi buffalo, 5-8 years old, were randomly divided into 3 groups with 6 animals each group. The control group was given non-treated sugarcane leaves. Group l and Group 2 were fed ammoniated or micro-treated sugarcane leaves respectively. All groups received the same concentrates, consisting of corn(55%), Peanut bran(22%), wheat bran(20%), calcium carbonate(2%), and salt(1%). Each buffalo was given concentrates approximately l kg/d. Water and the silage sugarcane leaves were provided for ad libitum. Animals first underwent 2-wk adjustment period for adaptation to the diet, then the experiment lasted for 60 days. Animals were weighed every 30 days in experiment Period.

2.3 Item Determination

During the feeding experiment, the parameter values of average daily gain(ADG) and average daily feed intake(ADFI) were determined, the samples of sugarcane leaves were taken from each group and were analyzed for the DM, CP, CF, NDF contents by national standard. Degradation rate of DM, CP and NDF in the rumen in 48 h were measured according to Feng YangLian’s Method(1989).

3 Result and Discussion

3.1 Influence on the Feeding Value and Degradation Rate of Different Treated Sugarcane Leaves.

The feeding value and degradation rate are presented in Table l. The results indicated that for the Group One, its DM, CP, NDF degradation rate in the rumen in 48 h was increased significantly compared with the Control Group by 22%, 29.3%, 37.2% respectably(P<0.05). The Group Two was increased by 3.4%, 8.5%, and 25.7% compared with the Control Group with only significance different in the NDF content(P<0.05). In general, Ammoniated and micro-treated sugarcane leaves improved the total feeding value, decreased the CF, NDF content, increased the CP content. Of the three, Ammoniate-treating was the best. Because sugarcane leaves contained crude fiber, whose chemical compositions were cellulose and lignin, but the lignin is indigestible and acts to reduce the proportion of potential digestible fiber fraction in forages. Thus, by ammonia treatment, it can decrease lignin intensity and improve the degradation rate of the sugarcane leaves.

Table 1:Effect of groups on the feeding value and degradation rate for buffalo

Item	DM	CP	CF	NDF	Degradation rate in the rumen in 48 h
					DM	CP	NDF
Ammoniated Sugarcane leaves	93.86 ±1.62	6.99 ±0.31^a	37.81 ±1.28	67.87 ±2.53	68.9^a	82.2^a	66.7^a
Micro-treated Sugarcane leaves	93.74 ±1.91	5.36 ±0.27^b	35.96 ±1.23	66.40 ±2.16	55.1^b	73.0^b	61.1^a
Control Sugarcane leaves	93.95 ±2.34	4.83 ±0.35^b	39.56 ±1.16	70.48 ±2.07	53.3^b	67.3^b	48.6^b

Note: a,b, P<0.05; n=3

3.2 Feed Consumption

With the same condition of concentration, the average daily sugarcane leaves intake of each buffalo in each group were 4.5, 3.7, 3.0 kg respectively(Table 2), had significant difference compared with the control group(P<0.05). But there were no significant difference between Group One and Group Two. The results showed that treated sugarcane leaves were more appetitable.

Table 2 : Effect on buffalo in the production performance and economic benefit

Treatment	Initial wt /kg	Final wt /kg	Total gain /kg	Average daily gain /g	Average daily concentrate intake /kg	Average daily sugarcane leaves intake /kg	Feed cost /yen·kg ^-1
Group one	282.6 ±116.8	313.8 ±114.4	31.2 ±14.5^a	520^a	1	4.5^a	8.03
Group two	289.5 ±127.2	308.9 ±129.1	19.4 ±11.3^b	323^b	1	3.7^a	8.46
Control group	293.4 ±139.7	308.2 ±133.5	14.8 ±7.70^c	247^c	1	3.0^b	8.70

Note: a,c,P<0.01, a,b,P<0.05, n=6。

3.3 Effect on Buffalo in the production Performance and Economic Benefit

According to the table 2 above, Group One’s ADG improved by 61%, 110% as compared with Group Two and the Control Group. There was a very significant difference (P<0.05). Group Two improved by 30.8% compared with the Control Group. The feed cost of Group One and Two for one-kilogram gain decreased by 0.67 and 0.24 Yuan respectively compare with the control group. If we used ammoniate-treated sugarcane leaves and concentrate during the total fishing period, it was estimated to decrease feed cost by 30-50 Yuan each buffalo. The economic benefit is significant. Thus, using sugarcane leaves for feeding buffalo is very effective.

4 Conclusion

(1) Sugarcane leaves with ammoniated and micro-treated can improve the feeding value, increase the DM, CP, NDF degradation rate in rumen in 48 h..

(2) Ammoniated and micro-treated sugarcane leaves increased the appetite and silage time lasted longer.

(3) With the same concentrate, buffalo fed with ammoniated or micro-treated sugarcane leaves produced beneficial effect on body weight gain, feed conversion and economic profit, but the ammoniated sugarcane leaves for buffalo was the best.

References

1, Ling ChunJian. 1986. Evaluation of Degradation Rate of CP in Rumen by Nylon Bay Method. Recent Advances in Animal Nutrition: Beijing.

2, Sun Gao Jun, Qi Feng Hua and Li Wei Si 1998. Infuluence on the Feeding Value of Rice Straw with Ammoniated and Micro-treated. Feed & Animals(4):27-28.

3, Zheng Xiao Zhong. Li Ke Lu and Zhang Yan Li et al 1997. Effect on the Perfomance of Com Straw Feeding Buffalo with Ammoniated and Micro-treated. Feed Research.(11):4-5.

Reply e-mail to xwl98341123@163.com