Effect of Carbohydrate Source and Cottonseed Meal Level in the Concentrate on Feed Intake, Nutrient Digestibility, Rumen Fermentation and Microbial Protein Synthesis in Swamp Buffaloes

Abstract

The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of carbohydrate source and cottonseed meal level in the concentrate on feed intake, nutrient digestibility, rumen fermentation and microbial protein synthesis in swamp buffaloes. Four, 4-yr old rumen fistulated swamp buffaloes were randomly assigned to receive four dietary treatments according to a 2×2 factorial arrangement in a 4×4 Latin square design. Factor A was carbohydrate source; cassava chip (CC) and CC+rice bran at a ratio 3:1 (CR3:1), and factor B was level of cottonseed meal (CM); 109 g CP/kg (LCM) and 328 g CP/kg (HCM) in isonitrogenous diets (490 g CP/kg). Buffaloes received urea-treated rice straw ad libitum and supplemented with 5 g concentrate/kg BW. It was found that carbohydrate source did not affect feed intake, nutrient intake, digested nutrients, nutrient digestibility, ammonia nitrogen concentration, fungi and bacterial populations, or microbial protein synthesis (p>0.05). Ruminal pH at 6 h after feeding and the population of protozoa at 4 h after feeding were higher when buffalo were fed with CC than in the CR3:1 treatment (p<0.05). Buffalo fed with HCM had a lower roughage intake, nutrient intake, population of total viable and cellulolytic bacteria and microbial nitrogen supply than the LCM fed group (p<0.05). However, nutrient digestibility, ruminal pH, ammonia concentration, population of protozoa and fungi, and efficiency of microbial protein synthesis were not affected by cottonseed meal levels (p>0.05). Based on this experiment, concentrate with a low level of cottonseed meal could be fed with cassava chips as an energy source in swamp buffalo receiving rice straw.

Feeding tropical dairy cattle with local protein and energy sources for sustainable production

“…Consistent with the present result, Wanapat et al (2013c) found that cows fed with Hipro-feed diet had a higher total feed intake. However, Wanapat et al (2012Wanapat et al ( , 2013aWanapat et al ( , 2013b did not show any difference on voluntary feed intake of beef cattle, young dairy bulls, and buffaloes by Hipro-feed feeding. The different results could be due to the difference in animal type, feeding programme, and environmental factors.…”

“…This result indicated that a combination of an appropriate carbohydrate source and a high protein concentrate feed may improve rumen fermentation by providing suitable pH conditions for microorganism activity as mentioned by Hungate (1966). It was reported that cottonseed meal in the concentrate did not affect ruminal pH, NH 3 -N, or BUN concentrations (Wanapat et al 2012(Wanapat et al , 2013a(Wanapat et al , 2013b(Wanapat et al , 2013c. This could be due to the efficiency of animals to use nitrogen for microbial protein synthesis.…”

“…Moreover, cows that received Formulation II had higher nutrient digestibility in ***terms of organic matter, CP, aNDF, and ADF compared to those that received Formulation I diet (P < .05). These findings could be due to the presence of cottonseed meal in Formulation II which contains a high level of rumen-undegradable protein (Wanapat et al 2012;2013a, 2013b, 2013c. Moreover, the rumen-undegradable protein and non-structural carbohydrate intakes could also affect nutrient digestibility.…”

“…According to previous work of Wanapat et al (2013aWanapat et al ( , 2013bWanapat et al ( , 2013c, who studied the effect of carbohydrate and protein sources in concentrate diet (high protein feed; Hipro-feed) in milking cows, young dairy bulls, beef cattle, and buffalo, Hipro-feed incorporated with carbohydrate source (cassava chip) could improve feed intake, rumen fermentation, and milk production. However, these data have been limited for on-farm practice of smallholder farmers.…”

Strategic Supplementation of Flemingia Silage to Enhance Rumen Fermentation Efficiency, Microbial Protein Synthesis and Methane Mitigation in Beef Cattle

“…This finding agreed with the report of Phesatcha et al [8] who supplemented Flemingia macrophylla hay which had increased the CP and NDF digestibilities. It has been reported that CT in the feeds combined with protein to protect protein degradability in the rumen [19]. Results suggest that the CT in FMS effectively impacted the nutrient digestibility and the microbial activity in the rumen, as well as increased the rumen fermentation efficiency.…”