Effects of feeding sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas) vines as a supplement on feed intake, growth performance, digestibility and carcass characteristics of Sidama goats fed a basal diet of natural grass hay

Evaluating the Effectiveness of Screened Lactic Acid Bacteria in Improving Crop Residues Silage: Fermentation Parameter, Nitrogen Fraction, and Bacterial Community

Ensiling characteristics of sweet potato vine (SPV) and peanut straw (PS), as well as the effects of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) strains, Lactococcus Lactis MK524164 (LL) and Lactobacillus farciminis MK524159 (LF), were investigated in this study. Fermentation parameters, nitrogen fractions, and bacterial community of SPV and PS were monitored at intervals during the ensiling process. The results showed that inoculating LAB increased lactate production (2.23 vs. 2.73%; 0.42 vs. 1.67% DM), accelerated pH decline (5.20 vs. 4.47; 6.30 vs. 5.35), and decreased butyrate (0.36% DM vs. not detected), ammonia-N (6.41 vs. 4.18% CP), or nonprotein-N (43.67 vs. 35.82% CP). Meanwhile, it altered the silage bacterial community, where the relative abundance of Lactobacillus was increased (6.67–32.03 vs. 45.27–68.43%; 0.53–10.45 vs. 38.37–68.62%) and that of undesirable bacteria such as Clostridium, Enterobacter, Methylobacterium, or Sphingomonas was much decreased. It is suggested that the screened LAB strains LL and LF can effectively improve the silage quality of SPV and PS silages.

Effect of different levels of Ipomoea batatas flour inclusion on the ruminal pH of sheep in metabolic cages

The accumulation of industrial by-products increases the use of sweet potato waste for ruminants, but ruminal pH characteristics are still not well known. The objective was to assess the fluctuation of ruminal pH in sheep supplemented with different levels of sweet potato flour inclusion in their diet. Four rumen-fistulated sheep were used; they were fed a diet based on ryegrass haylage (Lolium multiflorum) and sweet potato flour (Ipomoea batatas), provided according to the level of inclusion in the total diet (0, 0.5, 1.0 and 1.5%). Approximately 80 ml of ruminal fluid was collected for reading on a bench pH meter. Statistical data analysis was run on Statistical Analysis System (SAS Institute INC. Cary, NC, USA), and statistical difference was considered for p < 0.05. The animals that received 1.5% of sweet potato flour in their diet presented acid rumen pH; the 1.0% group presented rumen pH acidification in the first 6 hours after feeding, and the 0.5% level of inclusion did not change the rumen environment. It is concluded that the inclusion of 0.5% sweet potato flour in sheep diet proved to be an efficient energy supplementation strategy.

Carcass characteristics and sensory analysis of Abergelle goat breed and Abergelle crossbred goat fed hay supplemented with concentrate mixture

The experiment was conducted using 36 intact yearling males of Abergelle breed and Abergelle cross bred goats (50%) with initial live weight of 18.92 ± 0.72 kg (mean ± SE). The objective of the experiment was to evaluate the effect of concentrate supplementation on carcass parameters and meat sensory quality of genotypes. Goat genotypes were blocked based on initial body weight and were randomly assigned to dietary treatments. The experimental design was 2 by 3 factorial in randomized complete block design. The treatments included local grass hay as basal diet and supplementation with concentrate (184, 368, and 552 g/d on DM basis). Effects of genotype and diet were significant on the main carcass parameters (P < 0.05) but genotype did not show effect on edible offal components (P > 0.05). Diet had a significance effect on meat flavor (P < 0.05) but not on tenderness, juiciness, and soup flavor (P > 0.05). Genotype had no effect (P > 0.05) on all sensory attributes. Goats feeding on higher level of concentrate had heavier total edible offal components (P < 0.05) than feeding on lower level of concentrates but not difference between genotypes (P > 0.05). The cross breed goats feeding on higher level of concentrate showed higher percentage of nonedible offal (P < 0.01) particularly gut content, foreleg, and hind leg than pure breed and lower level of concentrate. The digestibility and chemical composition of meat of the genotypes were not addressed in the experiment and hence need to be studied further.

Effect of the Use of Tomato Pomace on Feeding and Performance of Lactating Goats

Simple Summary

Inclusion of agro-industrial wastes reduces animal feed costs. However, it is very important to assess the effect this can have on the health and physiological condition of animals, as well as on the production and quality of milk. Therefore, this study was proposed with the objective of evaluating these aspects and verifying the optimal dose to maximize the farmers’ economic margin without affecting animals or their production. Inclusion of 40% tomato pomace does not influence the physiological characteristics of animals, and in turn improves both milk production and composition. Therefore, it can be concluded that formulation of the goats’ diet including 40% tomato pomace is the best option for animal diet.

Abstract

The aim of this research was to evaluate the effect of including different levels of tomato pomace (TP) on performance, blood biochemical parameters, hormones, production and composition of milk, and economic analysis of Saanen goats reared in confinement. Sixteen multiparous goats (Saanen), 21 days in milk, were randomly distributed in two Latin square 4 × 4 (four periods and four treatments), according to the inclusion levels of dehydrated tomato pomace (0%, 20%, 40%, and 60%) in the diet. This inclusion resulted in differences in the intake of dry and organic matter, as well as ether extract, crude protein, water, neutral detergent fiber, and non-fibrous carbohydrates. The inclusion of 60% TP resulted in a significant decrease of body weight (−4.42 kg) in comparison with initial body weight, while the other three treatments did not affect or increase the animal body weight (between −0.05 and +3.07 kg). The addition of 20% and 40% of TP resulted in higher milk production (around 1.5 kg day⁻¹) than in animals from a control (1.2 kg day⁻¹) and 60% TP (1.04 kg day⁻¹). This increase was approximately 28% in the animals with 40% of TP inclusion. Moreover, the addition of 20% or 40% TP also improved the milk quality, which presented a higher fat amount (4.37% and 4.63% in 20% TP and 40% TP animals, respectively) than in a control (3.7%) and animals feed with 60% TP (4.02%). The feed efficiency and feed conversion did not show differences between diets. Thyroid hormones (T3 and T4) were also significantly affected by the inclusion of TP in the diet. The diet with the highest level of TP (60%) had the lowest cost per kilo among the diets evaluated. However, the use of 40% TP in animal diet presented the highest milk production and intermediate production cost.

Sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas) vine silage: a cost-effective supplement for milk production in smallholder dairy-farming systems of East Africa?

Context Dairy production in East Africa is dominated by smallholder production systems, but is dogged by suboptimal milk production mediated by poor nutrition. Grain-based concentrates can be used to make the energy and protein deficits in rain-fed systems, but this strategy faces several hurdles. For livestock production systems to be sustainable, it is important that less human-edible food is fed to animals and sweet potato can serve both as a source of human food (tuber) and animal feed (vines). Smallholder scale-appropriate technology has been used to allow feed preservation of the perishable sweet potato vines for use throughout the year. Aims We assessed the efficacy of sweet potato vine silage plus wheat bran (SPVSWB) as a supplement to maintain milk production at a lower cost than that of grain-based commercial dairy concentrate (CDC). Methods Multiparous Holstein–Friesian cattle (n = 12) were given a basal diet of Napier grass (Pennisetum purpureum cv. South Africa), ad libitum, plus a fixed amount of either SPVSWB or CDC, (designed to be both iso-nitrogenous and iso-caloric) during late (LL) and early (EL) lactations. Key results Daily milk yield was lower for SPVSWB than for CDC groups, although comparable (not significant), in both LL (6.2 vs 7.5 L/day) and EL (14.2 vs 16.0 L/day); however, the lower cost of production for SPVSWB (23.2 vs 48.7 KES/kg DM) ensured that margins on milk income over feed (per cow per day) were greater for SPVSWB in both periods. (LL: 71 vs 14.5; and EL: 426 vs 400 KES/day). The lower intake for SPVSWB than for CDC is most probably due to high neutral detergent fibre content in the supplement and the lower milk production, owing to either, or both, of lower energy and protein intake. Conclusions It is suggested that some reformulation of SPVS, replacing in part or in whole the Napier grass with rejected sweet potato tubers, will decrease the neutral detergent fibre content, increase the metabolisable energy content, reducing the need for additional wheat bran and may, thereby, enhance the production response to equate with that of CDC. Implications It is clear that, despite SPVSWB eliciting lower milk production (LL 6.2 and EL14.2 L/day) than does CDC (LL 7.5 and EL 16.0 L/day), SPVSWB is a cost-effective, accessible alternative to grain-based supplementation in small-holder dairy-farming systems of Kenya.

On farm evaluation of sun-dried Ziziphus spina-christi leaves substitution for natural pasture hay on feed intake and body weight change of Bati goat breeds in Ethiopia

The study was conducted to evaluate the effect of feeding different levels of sun-dried Ziziphus spina-christi (ZC) leaves on feed intake and live weight gain of local male goats. Twenty-five male local breed of goats at 1 year of age (body weight; BW = 20.7 ± 0.72 kg) were randomly allocated to five treatments and five replications. Treatments were as follows: T1 (grass hay only; control group); T2 (75% grass hay + 25% ZC leaves); T3 (50% grass hay + 50% ZC leaves); T4 (25% grass hay + 75% ZC leaves), and T5 (100% ZC leaves). The study lasted for 90 days. During this period, feed intake, BW change, and average daily gain were evaluated. There was a significant difference in total dry matter intake of goats fed on different levels of ZC leaves compared with the control group. Mixing of the pasture grass hay diet improved (P < 0.05) goats feed intake from 440 to 592 g/head/day at the minimum proportion of 25% ZC and natural pasture mixture. However, there was no significant difference (P > 0.05) in feed intake among the supplemented groups (T2-T5) as ZC leaves proportion increased. Goats in the control group and in the 25% ZC treatment diet gained 31.4 and 46.7 g, which was not different (P > 0.05). The highest average daily BW was gained (P < 0.05) in goats supplemented with the highest level (100%) of ZC leaves. T5 (100% ZC leaves supplementation) showed a significant increment (P < 0.05) in body weight gain of goats over other treatments and the control. Feed conversion ratio was increased (P < 0.05) with increased inclusion level of ZC leaves. Goats on supplemented treatments 1 and 2; treatments 4 and 5 had no significant difference (P > 0.05) in feed conversion efficiency while there was a significant (P < 0.05) difference between treatments 2 and 3 diets which had higher (P < 0.05) feed conversion ratio than the control groups. Generally, the results of the current study showed that supplementation of goats with above 50% level of dried ZC leaves in their diet significantly increased feed intake and body weight gain by improving feed conversion efficiency of goats.

Effect of lablab and pigeon pea leaf meal supplementation on performance of goats fed a basal diet of haricot bean haulms

An experiment was conducted to evaluate the effect of lablab and pigeon pea leaf supplementation on feed intake, digestibility, weight gain, and carcass characteristics of goats fed a basal diet of haricot bean haulms. Thirty-two yearling intact male goats with an average initial body weight of 14.4 ± 1.04 kg (Means ± SD) were assigned to one of the four treatments in a randomized complete block design. The dietary treatments were 17.5% lablab + 17.5% pigeon pea leaf + 63% wheat bran (T1), 35% pigeon leaf + 63% wheat bran (T2), 35% lablab leaf + 63% wheat bran (T3), and 88% wheat bran + 10% noug seed cake (T4). In addition, all treatment diets contained 1 and 1% limestone. The feeding trial lasted for 90 days followed by 7 days of digestibility trial. Carcass evaluation was conducted at the end of the feeding trial. Final body weight ranged from 16.3 kg for T4 to 21.1 kg for T3. The total dry matter (DM) intake for T3 was higher (P < 0.05) than T2 and T4. The total crude protein (CP) intake for T2 was greater (P < 0.05) than T3 and T4. Goats supplemented with T3 diets had the highest (P > 0.05) digestibility of DM, organic matter, and CP and attained the highest (P < 0.05) average daily gain, the heaviest (P < 0.05) hot carcass weight, and the highest (P < 0.05) rib-eye muscle area than those supplemented with T1, T2, and T4 diets. In conclusion, 35% lablab leaf meal and 63% what bran (T3) were found to be a very promising supplement in sheep fed low-quality crop residues under the condition of the current experiment.

Effect of replacing alfalfa hay with a mixture of cassava foliage silage and sweet potato vine silage on ruminal and intestinal digestion in sheep

This study aimed to investigate the effects of replacing alfalfa hay (AH) with a mixture of cassava foliage silage and sweet potato vine silage (CSP) (1:1 on a dry matter (DM) basis) on ruminal and intestinal nutrient digestion in sheep. Four wethers were fed a control diet containing 35% of AH and two treatment diets containing 15% and 30% of the CSP as substitute for AH at 1.5 times the metabolizable energy required for maintenance. Replacing AH with the CSP silage did not affect DM intake, whereas it linearly increased (P < 0.05) the intake of ether extract and acid detergent insoluble nitrogen (ADIN). Increasing the CSP substitution linearly decreased (P < 0.05) ruminal DM and neutral detergent fiber (aNDFom) digestibility; however, it did not affect total tract aNDFom digestibility. The CSP substitution did not affect nitrogen (N) intake and duodenal total N flow, whereas it linearly increased duodenal ADIN flow (P < 0.01) and decreased ruminal ammonia-N concentration (P < 0.01), and intestinal (P = 0.08) and total N digestibility (P < 0.01). These results indicate that replacing AH with the CSP reduced the ruminal N degradation as well as the digestion of ruminal aNDFom and intestinal N.

Feed and fuel: the dual-purpose advantage of an industrial sweetpotato

BACKGROUND

Sustainable agricultural systems must support nutritional requirements, meet the energy demands of a growing population, preserve environmental resources and mitigate climate change. The sweetpotato (Ipomoea batatas L.) is a high-yielding crop that requires minimal fertilization and irrigation, and the CX-1 industrial cultivar offers superior potential for feed and fuel.

RESULTS

CX-1 had the highest agronomic fresh vine yield (51.5 t ha^-1 ), averaged over two cropping seasons, compared with Hernandez (33.7) and Beauregard (21.8) varieties. CX-1 vines were more nutritional than the table varieties, specifically in regard to relative feed value (205), water-soluble carbohydrates (171 g kg^-1 dry matter (DM)), total digestible nutrients (643 g kg^-1 DM), metabolizable energy (10.2 MJ kg^-1 DM) and organic matter digestibility. Their lower fiber and lignin concentrations contributed to their freshness and digestibility throughout maturity. Significantly higher iron concentrations make the CX-1 vines a valuable, low-fat iron supplement for animal feed. The CX-1 roots also showed the highest bioethanol potential (82.3 g ethanol kg^-1 fresh root) compared to Hernandez (64.5) and Beauregard (48.1).

CONCLUSION

The CX-1 industrial sweetpotato is an ideal dual-purpose crop for tropical/subtropical climates that can be utilized as a non-grain-based feedstock for bioethanol production while contributing a valuable, high-yielding nutritional supplement for animal feed. © 2016 Society of Chemical Industry.

Growth and carcass characteristics of three Ethiopian indigenous goats fed concentrate at different supplementation levels

The study was carried out to evaluate the effect of genotypes and concentrate levels on growth performance and carcass characteristics of Bati, Hararghe highland (HH) and Short eared Somali (SS) goat types found in Ethiopia. A 3 × 2 factorial arrangement (3 genotype × 2 concentrate levels) was used to randomly allocate 36 goats (15.2 ± 0.30 kg initial weight); 12 goats from each genotype with age about 1 year were divided randomly into two groups for a feeding trial of 90 days. The two concentrate levels were L1 and L2, where L1 and L2 are levels fed to animals at the rate of 1 and 1.5 % BW, respectively. Hay was fed ad libitum with 20 % refusal rate. The mean daily dry matter intake of the goats was 520.5 g/day. The intake was about 67 g/day higher for L2 than L1 goats. Consequently, L2 goats had significantly (p < 0.05) higher average daily gain, dressing percentage, primal carcass cuts and total non-carcass fat than those fed L1. Among genotypes, HH goats were found to have higher (p < 0.05) carcass weight, heart girth, neck girth, and carcass cuts (legs and shoulders) than SS goats. However, they were not better in dressing percentage than SS goats. Compared to Bati goats, HH goats had significantly (p < 0.05) wider rib-eye area, heavier ribs/racks weights, and better dressing percentage. Despite smaller body size, the performance of SS goats was comparable to Bati goats. In conclusion, the study indicates the potential of Ethiopian indigenous goats to produce optimum amount of meat when supplemented with concentrate at the rate of 1.5 % body weight.