Abstract:
Forage conservation through ensiling is used to provide feed for cattle during the dry season. Low protein content of grass silages limit their utilisation which could be improved by ensiling grass with high protein feedstuffs like Wet Brewer’s Grain (WBG) and Gliricidia Foliage (GF). There is dearth of information on the utilisation of combined WBG and GF ensiled with Elephant Grass (EG) on performance of Sokoto Gudali (SG) cattle. Hence, the performance of SG cattle fed EG enhanced with WBG and/or GF were assessed.
Four iso-nitrogenous silages: T1- (EG control); T2- (EG +WBG); T3- (EG +GF); T4-(EG +WBG + GF) were prepared using standard procedures. Physical characteristics (pH, colour, aroma, texture) and chemical composition [Dry Matter (DM); Crude Protein (CP) and fibre fractions] of silages were determined at day 22. The Coefficient of Preference (CoP) of the silages were determined using six SG heifers following standard procedures. Another 12 heifers were housed in individual pens and adapted for total faecal collection for the determination of digestibility. Dry Matter Intake -DMI (kg/day) and Daily Weight Gain-DWG (kg/day) were assessed in an 84-day trial using 16 SG heifers in a completely randomised design. In another 120-day feeding trial, 16 multiparous SG cows were allocated in a randomised complete block design to the diets. Daily Milk Yield –DMY (kg/day), Milk Composition (MC) were determined and the Feed Conversion Ratio (FCR) calculated. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics and ANOVA at α0.05.
Silage pH ranged from 3.90 to 4.90; colour varied from olive to deep green. Aroma was pleasant to very pleasant and texture was firm for all silages. The DM of 28.7±0.3% (T2) was significantly higher than 26.9±0.3% (T4), 26.4±0.2% (T1), 25.3±0.3% (T3) while CP ranged from 24.1±0.2% (T1) to 25.1±0.3% (T3). The neutral detergent fibre of T1 (52.1±0.8%) was significantly higher than 48.7±0.3% (T3), 42.0±0.1% (T4) and 38.4±0.5% (T2) while acid detergent fibre were 28.9±0.1% (T1), 23.9±0.3% (T3), 21.8±0.1% (T4) and 20.0±0.1% (T2). The acid detergent lignin ranged from 8.50±0.1% (T2) to 11.0±0.1% (T3). The CoP were 0.65 (T3), 0.96 (T1), 1.01 (T4) and 1.38 (T2), indicating that only T4 and T2 were acceptable to the cattle (CoP >1). Digestibility of T2 (70.88 ±0.7) was significantly higher than T1 (60.40±0.9), T3 (65.78±0.3) and T4 (68.41±0.4). The DMI of 4.76 (T1), 4.79 (T3), 5.23 (T4), 5.49 (T2) differed significantly showing that the consumption of T2 was higher. The DWG of animals on T3 (0.61±0.01), T4 (0.61±0.02) and T2 (0.62±0.01) were similar but all differed significantly from T1 (0.49±0.01). The DMY of animals on T2 (5.11±0.3) was significantly higher than T4 (4.80± 0.1), T3 (4.40±0.1) and T1 (3.86±0.1) while the milk composition were similar. The FCR (Milk) were 1.91 (T3), 2.02(T4), 2.05 (T2) and 2.31 (T1) suggesting that T3 was superior to other diets.
Sokoto gudali heifers fed silage of elephant grass with wet brewer’s grain and Gliricidia foliage had improved digestibility, better weight gain and enhanced milk yield.
