• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• 제19권10호
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• pp.1455-1463
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• 2006

Effects of different levels of molasses in a concentrate supplement on milk yield of cows grazing Setaria grass pastures were investigated. Thirty Friesian cows, 6-7 years old with mean pre-experimental body weight of $428{\pm}6.5$ kg, in early stage of lactation were randomly allotted to five dietary treatments in a completely randomized design experiment that lasted for 126 days. Experimental dietary treatments were forage alone and forage/concentrate mixtures with molasses included at 0, 5, 10 or 15% levels designated as $T_1$, $T_2$, $T_3$, $T_4$ and $T_5$, respectively. The parameters studied were voluntary dry matter (DM) intake, average daily live weight change (LWC), milk yield, body condition score (BCS) and apparent nutrient digestibility coefficients. The DM and energy contents of Setaria grass were low compared to the concentrate diets. Fibre fractions-NDF, ADF, ADL, hemicellulose and cellulose; and gross energy were higher in concentrate mixtures than in the forage. Total DM intake (forage+concentrate mixtures) was significantly higher (p<0.001) in cows on the concentrate mixtures. LWC was not significantly different (p>0.05) between the cows. Average milk yields were significantly different (p<0.05) between cows. Fat corrected milk (FCM) was similar among cows in the treatments. BCS was better (p<0.001) in cows on concentrate mixtures. Digestibilities of DM, CP, NDF, ADF, ADL, OM, and energy were significantly higher (p<0.001) in cows on $T_2$, $T_3$, $T_4$ and $T_5$ than in those on $T_1$. There were no significant differences in the digestibility of DM, CP, NDF, ADF and ADL (p>0.001) in cows on concentrate mixtures. This study therefore demonstrated that lactating dairy cows in Fiji need a level of readily fermented energy source such as molasses in their diets; however, a level above 10% is not nutritionally suitable for lactating dairy cows. Based on data on production parameters-milk yield, fat corrected milk, body condition score and apparent nutrient digestibility coefficients-molasses levels that range between 5-10% are recommended, however, 10% is the best and therefore recommended for inclusion in the concentrate mixture of lactating dairy cows on a basal diet of Setaria sphacelata in Fiji.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• 제7권3호
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• pp.335-342
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• 1994

This study was undertaken at Gowa, South Sulawesi, Indonesia, as part of a larger forage genetic resource evaluation project. The experimental program consisted of a field experiment where grass and legume species were grown in monocultures and the dry matter yield, rumen bag digestibility (RBDMD) and N content of leaf and stem components were monitored in the wet and dry seasons. Eight species of grass (Brachiaria decwnbens cv. Basilisk. Panicum maximum cv. Riversdale, Urochloa pullulans CPI 41192, Imperata cylindrica from Maiwa, South Sulawesi, Digitaria milanjiana CPI 41193, Cenchrus ciliaris cv. Malopo, Heteropogon contorlus and Setaria sphacelata cv. Splenda) were studied. P. maximum was the highest yielding grass in the wet season and B. decumbens in the dry season. The highest RBDMD in the whole plants were U. pulluians, P. maximum, S. sphacelata and D. milanjiana after 2 weeks regrowth in cycle I and S. sphacelata, B. decumbens, D. milanjiana and C. ciliaris in cycle 2. When total digestible DM was calculated for the whole of cycle I, P. maximum, B. decumbens and S. sphacelata were superior, but B. decumbens produced over twice as much as the other species in the dry season (cycle 2). The leaf N concentration of all grasses exceeded 1.0% (6.25% crude protein) in the regrowth in cycle I but did not exceed 0.5% in the dry season regrowth (cycle 2).

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• 제19권3호
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• pp.381-385
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• 2006

This study examined the influence of re-growth periods on chemical composition, biomass production, nutritive value and digestion kinetics of Setaria sphacelata (SS) and Cenchrus ciliaris (CC) in ruminally cannulated buffalo bulls. Two re-growth intervals i.e. clipping every month ($CI_1$) and clipping after every two months ($CI_2$) were compared with the control (clipped after 4 months). Mean values of leaf to stem ratio in SS and CC grasses were decreased (p<0.05) with increasing re-growth interval. The lowest leaf to stem ratio was recorded in control plots of both grasses. In both grasses, increasing growth period increased the concentrations of dry matter (DM), neutral detergent fiber (NDF) and organic matter (OM) and decreased crude protein (CP). Mean dry herbage, OM and CP yields of SS and CC were increased (p<0.05) with increasing re-growth interval. Ruminal DM and NDF digestibilities of SS and CC were decreased (p<0.05) with increasing interval. Ruminal rate of DM and NDF disappearance was higher while the ruminal lag time of these nutrients was lower with monthly than with bi-monthly clipping interval. The results from present study imply that SS and CC clipped after every two months is more beneficial than when clipped every month or every four months in terms of optimal biomass with adequate nutritional value for buffaloes.