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Effects of malate level
and cassava hay in high-quality feed block on rumen ecology
and digestibility of nutrients in lactating dairy cows
raised under tropical condition
Sittisak Khampa
Department of Animal Science, Faculty of Agricultural
Technology, Rajabhat Mahasarakham University, Mahasarakham,
P.O. Box 44000, Thailand. E-mail:
sittisak_k2003@yahoo.com . Tel: + 66 43725439. Fax: + 66
85 0023075.
Accepted
22 June, 2009 |
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Four, lactating dairy cows were randomly assigned according
to a 2 x 2 Factorial arrangement in a 4 x 4 Latin square
design to study supplementation of malate two levels as 500
and 1,000 g and cassava hay in high-quality feed block. The
treatments were as follows T1 (supplementation of
high-quality feed block without cassava hay + malate at 500
g); T2 (supplementation of high-quality feed block without
cassava hay + malate at 1,000 g); T3 (supplementation of
high-quality feed block with cassava hay + malate at 500 g);
and T4 (supplementation of high-quality feed block with
cassava hay + malate at 1,000 g), respectively. The cows
were offered the treatment concentrate at a ratio to milk
yield at 1:2 and ruzi grass was fed ad libitum. The results
have revealed that rumen fermentation and blood metabolites
were similar for all treatments. The populations of protozoa
and fungal zoospores were significantly different as
affected by malate level and cassava hay supplementation. In
conclusion, the combined use of cassava hay and malate at
1,000 g in high-quality feed block with concentrates
containing high levels of cassava chip at 65% DM could
highest improved rumen ecology and nutrients digestibility
in lactating cows.
Key
words:
Malate, cassava hay, high-quality feed block, rumen ecology,
lactating cows. |
