Tropical kudzu as a protein source in sheep diets

Abstract

Protein nutrition plays a key role in ruminant performance and represents the largest proportion of costs in animal feed. The present study evaluated whether the roughage portion of Santa Inês sheep diets could be supplemented with different ratios of tropical kudzu as a protein source and assessed the best inclusion level of tropical kudzu based on digestibility, intake, nitrogen balance and feeding behavior. Twenty rams were evaluated during the 20-day experimental period, and they were fed formulated diets with a roughage portion (60%) consisting of Elephant grass and tropical kudzu, the latter supplemented at different concentrations (0, 25, 50 and 75% on a dry matter basis). Forty percent of the concentrate portion consisted primarily of ground corn and soybean meal adjusted to obtain an isoproteic diet. Chemical and bromatological analyses, as well as, analyses to assess intake, digestibility, nitrogen balance and feeding behavior, were conducted. No statistically significant differences were found (P>0.05) for the intake and digestibility of dry matter (DM), crude protein (CP), ether extract (EE), neutral detergent fiber (NDF), hemicellulose (HEMI), non-fiber carbohydrates (NFC) and total digestible nutrients (TDN) or for the feeding behavior (feeding, rumination and idle times in h/day) and nitrogen balance between the diets studied. Thus, tropical kudzu can be considered a feed alternative to supplementation with prime protein foods (in this case, soybean meal) in sheep diets. Key words: Digestibility. Legume. Pennisetum purpureum. Pueraria phaseoloides. Protein supplementation. ResumoObjetivou-se com o presente estudo avaliar a inclusão na porção volumosa de diferentes porções de puerária como fonte proteica em dietas de ovinos da Raça Santa Inês, determinando a melhor concentração de inclusão de puerária com base na digestibilidade, consumo, balanço de nitrogênio e comportamento ingestivo. Durante os 20 dias do período experimental, foram utilizados 20 ovinos, que receberam dietas formuladas, cuja porção volumosa (60%) foi constituída por capim-Elefante e puerária, incluída em diferentes concentrações (0; 25; 50 e 75% com base na matéria seca). Os 40% da porção concentrada foram constituidos a base de milho moído e farelo de soja ajustados para obtenção de dietas isoprotéicas. Foram realizadas análises químico-bromatológicas, bem como análises para determinação

Improving Feed Intake, Digestibility, Rumen Fermentation, and Blood Profiles in Kacang Goats through Pueraria phaseoloides Supplementation in Kume Grass Hay Diets

“…Secondly, P. phaseoloides supplementation may increase the energy supply in the form of ATP, facilitating protein accretion from the absorbed amino acids (Meehan et al, 2021). Moreover, condensed tannin contained in P. phaseoloides could be another aspect that may also contributed to the absorption of amino acids (da Paz et al, 2016).…”

“…Pueraria phaseoloides, commonly known as tropical kudzu, is a promising leguminous forage with high nutritive value (Da Paz et al, 2016) and beneficial effects on rumen fermentation. It is rich in protein, fiber, and bioactive compounds (Akingbade et al, 2015), accounting for 11.85% DM, 16.35% DM, and 0.62% DM, respectively (Obua et al, 2012), which contribute to enhanced rumen microbial activity, nutrient digestibility, and overall animal performance.…”

“…This legume has been utilized as a protein supplement for ruminant animals because it is palatable and provides good protein (Gulizia & Downs, 2019). Supplementation of P. phaseoloides up to 75% on a dry matter basis in ruminants has been reported to increase dry matter intake and nutrient digestibility in Santa Ines rams when the animals were offered soybean-based concentrate or P. phaseoloides (Da Paz et al, 2016). Indeed, the same study also confirmed that P. phaseoloides can be used to replace soybean meal without impairing animal performance and at the same time reducing feed costs (Da Paz et al, 2016).…”

“…Supplementation of P. phaseoloides up to 75% on a dry matter basis in ruminants has been reported to increase dry matter intake and nutrient digestibility in Santa Ines rams when the animals were offered soybean-based concentrate or P. phaseoloides (Da Paz et al, 2016). Indeed, the same study also confirmed that P. phaseoloides can be used to replace soybean meal without impairing animal performance and at the same time reducing feed costs (Da Paz et al, 2016). Supplementing Kume grass hay with P. phaseoloides has the potential to improve feed intake, nutrient digestibility, rumen fermentation, and subsequently, the overall health and productivity of ruminant animals.…”