Nutritive Value of Maize Stover Harvested at Two Stages of Maturity and Mixed with Different Types and Levels of Protein Supplements

Abstract

Ouda, J.O. and Nsahlai, I.V. 2007. Nutritive value of maize stover harvested at two stages of maturity and mixed with different types and levels of protein supplements. J. Appl. h i m . Res., 32: 89-95. (20, 40, 60, 80%) Key words: Maize stover, maturity stage, protein supplements, gas production, ruminants. Studies were conducted on maize stover harvested at grain milk (MM) or dry (MD) stages and mixed with graded ratios of protein supplements (PS) including lucerne hay (LH), lespedeza hay (LPZ) and sunflower seed cake (SC). Automated in vitro gas production technique (IVGPT) was In trod uc t ionMaize is the third most produced grain after wheat and rice and leads in crop fodder production in Africa. It is widely recognised that low crude protein (CP) content is the major constraint to maize stover utilization (Hindrichsen et al., 2004). The potential protein supplements include browse legumes and agro-industrial by-products such a s oilseed cakes. Lucerne (Medicago satiua L) #Corresponding author: Tel. +27332605474; Fax +27332605067; E-mail: nsahlaii8ukzn.ac.za is a popular fodder legume for ruminants. However, high agronomic input requirement of lucerne curtails its cultivation by the numerous resource-poor farmers. A forage legume such as Sericea lespedeza [Lespedeza cuneata (Dun-Cours) G. Don] may be a suitable alternative. Sericea lespedeza is a tall growing, drought tolerant, coarsestemmed perennial that is productive on a wide range of soils including those with poor fertility (McGraw and Hoveland, 1995).The present study used the automated in uitro gas production technique (IVGPT) whose merits include: a relatively low cost, et al., 2005). The study objective was to evaluate the influence of different types and levels of protein supplements on nutritive value of maize stover-based rations. Materials and MethodsStover from white maize hybrid PAN6479 grown in Kwa-Zulu Natal Province, South Africa, were harvested either at grain milk (MM) or grain dry (MD) stage. The protein supplement (PS) feeds included sunflower (Helianthus onus) seed cake (SC), lucerne hay (LH) and lespedeza hay (LPZ). Sixty whole maize plants were randomly selected from the field, cut at the first node above ground and divided into two groups. One group had morphological components (leaf, husk and stem) individually separated while the other was left whole. The stover or morphological components were chopped, placed in labelled containers and dried in a fanned oven at 50C until they were fit for milling through a 1-mm screen. The samples were analysed for ether extract (crude fat) and CP content according t o AOAC (1990). Methods described by Van Soest et al. (1991) were used to determine the neutral detergent fibre (NDF) and acid detergent fibre (ADF). Methods described by Harris (1970) were used t o determine soluble carbohydrates (CHOso,) as follows: CHOS0, (g/kg) = 1000 -(NDF + Crude fat + Crude protein + soluble ash) gkg.I n uitro incubation was performed using automated gas production technique (IVGPT) as described b...

Effects of season, browse species and polyethylene glycol addition on gas production kinetics of forages in the subhumid subtropical savannah, South Africa

“…El Hassan et al 51 reported that phenolics reduced the growth of rumen cellulolytic species of Ruminococcus and influenced GP from multipurpose fodder trees. Lower GP from the soluble fraction has been reported for a lespedeza diet, 52 and lespedeza has a high tannin content. 53 This is confirmed by C. odorata, which has high GP and low CT (0.5 g kg −1 DM).…”

Effect of Urea Treatment of Roughages and <i>in vitro</i> Digestibility of Available Feed Resources in Maradi Area of Niger

“…The highest (T 1/2 ) and lowest (µ) and (DEF) observed in cottonseed cake may be due to its content of gossypol which decreased its degradability [25]. Additionally, feeds with high Trdeg, C, µ, DEF and low T 1/2 and Lt may predict good nutritive value and good microbial efficiency in agreement with [31,18]. It should be stated that urea-treatment of cowpea husk emitted an objectionable odour which is yet unquantified.…”