| Article ID | Journal | Published Year | Pages | File Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2448536 | Livestock Science | 2008 | 8 Pages |
The study investigated rumen dry matter (DM) degradability characteristics in a completely randomized design and the effects of milk, sweet potato foliage (SPF) from three cultivars (A = TIS-87/0087; B = TIS-8164; C = TIS-2532.OP.1.13), dried brewers' grains (DBG) and cottonseed meal (CSM) as supplements to Panicum maximum (Panicum) for pre-weaned calves in randomized complete block designs. Diet 1 = milk + SPF-A foliage + Panicum, Diet 2 = milk + SPF-B foliage + Panicum, Diet 3 = milk + SPF-C foliage + Panicum, and Diet 4 = milk + DBG & CSM + Panicum (as control). Dry matter (130 ± 0.4 to 864 ± 3.9 g kg− 1), ash (54 ± 4.2 to 173 ± 2.8 g kg− 1 DM), OM (827 ± 4.2 to 946 ± 5.7 g kg− 1 DM), N (7.4 ± 0.6 to 38.6 ± 1.4 g kg− 1 DM), and NDF (439 ± 1.4 to 774 ± 8.5 g kg− 1 DM) contents were highly significant (P < 0.01). In Trial I, 16 pre-weaned calves were used over 70 d with milk intake (34.8 ± 4.4 ml kg W− 0.75 d− 1), Panicum DMI (22.3 ± 2.77 g kg W− 0.75 d− 1), total DMI (35.7 ± 2.83 g kg W− 0.75 d− 1), and LWG (198 ± 44.6 g d− 1) not significantly different (P > 0.05). Supplement DMI varied (P < 0.05) from 11.6 g kg W− 0.75 d− 1 in Diet 3 to 16.6 g kg W− 0.75 d− 1 in Diet 4. In Trial II, 16 pre-weaned local and crossbred calves were involved over 77 d with initial age of calves, Panicum intake, metabolic DMI, and LWG similar (P > 0.05) among crosses. Birthweight varied (P < 0.05) from 17.3 kg for N'Dama × Jersey crosses to 21.2 kg for White Fulani × Brown Swiss crosses. Supplement and total DMI ranged (P < 0.05) from 172 to 483 g d− 1 for N'Dama × Jersey crosses to 233 and 674 g d− 1 for non-inseminate or purebred calves, respectively. The LWG in the White Fulani × Brown Swiss and the N'Dama × Jersey calves were respectively 30% and 24% better, though not significantly, than purebred calves. In Trial III, rumen DM degradability characteristics of feeds in three N'Dama steers showed no significant differences (P > 0.05) in slowly degradable fraction (b) and rate of degradation of b (c). Soluble fraction (a), 48-h degradation, potential degradability (PD) and effective degradability (ED) varied significantly (P < 0.05) and were lowest in Panicum, but similar for foliage among the three sweet potato cultivars. Panicum fodder showed improvements in degradation characteristics with supplementation.
