Effect of feeding cactus-legume silages on nitrogen retention, digestibility and microbial protein synthesis in goats

• Published in: Animal feed science and technology Vol. 206; pp. 1 - 7
• Main Authors: Gusha, J., Halimani, T.E., Ngongoni, N.T., Ncube, S.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier B.V 01.08.2015
• Subjects: Browse legumes; Cactus-forage legume silages; Digestibility; Ruminant nutrition; Tannins; PP; Browse legumes; CMAS; NDFom; Cactus-forage legume silages; Ruminant nutrition; DM; N; CLLS; CAAS; CCCS; DOMR; ADFom; Tannins; FCR; NI; OM; Digestibility
• ISSN: 0377-8401; 1873-2216
• DOI: 10.1016/j.anifeedsci.2015.04.017

•Mixing fresh cut Opuntia and legume hay in silage making was evaluated.•High feed intake and microbial protein yield recorded from cactus-legume silage.•Negative N balance recorded with basal diet alone.•Performance of goats improved thus enhancing productivity and livelihoods.•Feed strategy can be adopted to improve performance of animals. The effect of co-ensiling Opuntia ficus indica with dry forage legumes on dry matter intake, digestibility, nitrogen retention and overall performance of kapaters was investigated. The treatment diets were Cactus-Acacia angusitissima silage (CAAS), Cactus-Leuceana leucocephala silage (CLLS), Cactus-Calliandra calothyrsus silage (CCCS), Cactus-Macroptilium atropuprium silage (CMAS) and a negative control of Pennisetum purpureum (PP) hay which was also fed as a basal diet to all other animals. Thirty, one-year old kapaters of mean (±SD) weight of 22.6kg (±5.41) were assigned to the five treatments in a completely randomised design. The goats were individually housed in metabolism cages for a period of twenty-one days adaptation and seven-days of total urine and faecal collection. The results showed a significantly (P<0.05) higher dry matter intake (DMI), organic matter intake and digestibility of organic matter (DOM) in goats fed cactus-forage legume silages diets than those fed Pennisetum purpureum hay alone. Mixed silages DMI ranged from 0.72 to 0.81kg/day and 0.42 to 0.50 DOM. The calculated microbial protein yield was highest in the CLLS group and lowest in the PP group. These trends are also reflected in the nitrogen intake (NI) and retention with CLLS (NI=16g/day, N retained=13.54g/day) showing the highest values and CMAS (NI=9.02g/day, N retained=6.11g/day) having the least among the silage supplemented goats. The PP fed goats had the least intake and a marginally negative nitrogen balance. Daily live weight gain was low (<100g/day) for all the diets. The Pennisetum purpureum group had a negative weight gain throughout the period. The resultant silages can improve animal performance especially during times of nutritional stress. We concluded that mixed cactus legumes silage can be used as supplements in periods of feed deficits to improve goat performance and communal livelihood.