Effects of pelleted sugarcane tops on voluntary feed intake, digestibility and rumen fermentation in beef cattle
Yuangklang, C.; Wanapat, M.; Wachirapakorn, C.
Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences 18(1): 22-26
2005
ISSN/ISBN: 1011-2367 Accession: 070576274
Four male crossbred beef steers about 2 years old were used in a 4 x 4 Latin square design to investigate the effect of pelleted sugarcane tops on voluntary feed intake, rumen fermentation and digestibility of nutrients. Experimental treatments were; Control (dried-chopped sugarcane tops (DCST)); PSI (Pelleted sugarcane tops at I cm of diameter); PS2 (Pelleted sugarcane tops at 2 cm of diameter) and PS3 (Pelleted sugarcane tops at 3 cm of diameter). Roughage intake and total dry matter intake were 1.59, 1.62, 1.61, 1.63% BW and 2.09, 2.12, 2.11 and 2.13% BW in control, PSI, PS2 and PS3 treatments, respectively (p < 0.05). Digestibility of DM, OM and CP were similar in control and PS3 treatment but there was significant difference (p < 0.05) between control and PSI, PS2 treatments. Digestibility of neutral detergent fiber (NDF) and acid detergent fiber (ADF) were 52.89, 50.01, 50.05 and 50.56% and 41.91, 39.96, 39.91 and 39.69% in control, PSI, PS2 and PS3, respectively (p < 0.05). Total volatile fatty acids concentrations in rumen contents was 67.68, 65.93, 66.15 and 66.67 mM in control, PSI, PS2 and PS3, respectively (p < 0.05). Even though, concentrations of acetate and butyrate (%) were significant different (p < 0.05) but concentration of propionate (%) was not affected by treatments (p > 0.05). Rumen pH, ammonia nitrogen and plasma urea nitrogen were significantly different (p < 0.05) among treatments. From this experiment, it was found that dried-chopped sugarcane tops increased digestibility of nutrients whereas pelleted sugarcane tops increased feed intake in beef cattle. However, pelleted. sugarcane tops at 3 cm of diameter did.similar result in digestibility and rumen parameters with DCST Therefore, it could be concluded that pelleting sugarcane top is an alternative way to improve the quality of sugarcane tops for use as ruminant roughage source.