Development of weaner meal for dairy calves using fish wastes from Nile perch (lates niloticus) and cassava (manihot Esculenta) root meal
Loading...
Date
2002
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Sokoine University of Agriculture
Abstract
Growth, blood parameters and in sacco degradability studies were 11m concurrently
to evaluate the effects of cassava root meal (CRM) and fish waste (FW) as energy
and protein substitutes for respectively hominy meal (HM) and cotton seed cake
(CSC) in formulation of weaner meals for dairy calves. The FW were derived from
processing of Nile perch (Leites niloticus) while CRM (Manihot esculenta) was
purchased in fresh form and dried for compounding. In experiment I the effects of
CRM and FW as substitutes for HM and CSC were evaluated in growth, blood
parameters and intake trials lasting for 56 days using 20 Ayrshire weanner heifers
ranging in weight from 88-194 kg. The heifers were allotted at random in four
treatments rations (TR| - TR4) of 5 animals each. The four treatments were: TRi
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. Data was collected on daily
DM1 and weight changes were recorded fortnightly. In Experiment II in sacco
degradability studies were made to assess the degradability characteristics of the
individual feed ingredients as well as the compounded rations used in Experiment I.
Four fistulated cows with an average weight of 314.25 kg were used. Rumen pH and
NH3-N were also measured. No (P > 0.05) differences in weight gain were observed
between heifers on TRi and TR3. Heifers on TR 2 gained (P < 0.05) faster than those
on TRi, TR3 and TR4 (620 vs 490, 460 and 420 g respectively). TR2 had (P < 0.05)
superior feed efficiency (0.129) followed in a descending order by TR15 TR3 and TR4
(0.116, 0.113 and 0.106 kg gain /kg feed respectively). Feed costs per kg gained for
TRi — TR4 were $ 0.338, 0.418, 0.332 and 0.496 respectively. Blood parameters were
(P < 0.05) influenced by protein and energy sources as well as their interactions. Fishiii
wastes supplementation to heifers increased (P<0.05) blood plasma minerals
compared to CSC for TRj. TR4 Heifers on CRM and CSC combination had (P <
0.05) higher levels of total plasma protein and plasma glucose (97.07g/l and 3.3
mmol/1) compared to those of CRM and FW (94.86 g/1 and 3.0 mmol/l) respectively.
DM degradability at 48h for CRM was (P < 0.05) higher than HM (920 vs 835 g/kg)
while CP for HM was (P
0.05) higher than that of CRM (946 vs 837 g/kg)
respectively. Both DM and CP for CSC were (P < 0.05) higher than that of FW (739
and 887 vs 367 and 598 g/kg). Hay had DM and CP of 322 and 749 g/kg
respectively. The degradability of DM and CP at 48h in TRi and TR2 were (P
0.05) higher than in TR3 and TR4 (80land 799 vs 727 and 616 g/kg DM and CP of
828 and 825 vs 667 and 605 g/kg) TR2 having apparently higher rates of DM and CP
degradability. The pH and NH3-N ruminal values were (P < 0.05) different between
treatment rations and treatments with FW component had (P
0.05) higher NH3-N
than that of CSC (284.7 and 203.7 vs 135.8,and 183.9 mg/1). It was concluded that
CRM and FW could be used cost effectively in weaners rations, but best results are
obtainable where CRM is combined with CSC.
Description
Thesis
Keywords
Development, Weaner Meal, Dairy Calves, Fish, Nile Perch, Cassava