Cassava hay: A new strategic feed for ruminants during the dry season

摘要

Dryseasonfeedingiscriticalintermsofbothquantityandqualityespeciallyforproductiveruminantssuchasdairycattle.Cassava(Manihotesculenta,Crantz)atubercropcanbegrownasfoliageinthedryseasonproducingfirstcutyieldafterthreemonthsof20,40kg/ha(fresh)or10,200kg/ha(dried)andestimatedcombinedyieldofsecondandthirdcutof40,820kg/ha(fresh)or20,400kg/ha(dried)or5,102kgcrudeprotein/ha.Cassavahay(CH)containedhighlevelofcrudeprotein(25%)andlowlevelsofNDFandADF.VoluntaryintakeofCHwas3.1%ofliveweightandthedrymatterdigestibilitywas71%.RuminalDMdigestibilityofCHwasrelativelyhighwhileproteinruminaldegradabilitywaslowindicatingitwouldbeagoodsourceofbypassprotein.