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Feeding and digestibility trials were conducted to evaluate the nutritive value of different levels of napier and rensonii with and without yeast supplementation in the concentrate for growing Bulgarian Murrah Buffalo calves and specifically its effect on final weight, total weight gain, feed consumption, feed conversion ratio, apparent digestibility for dry matter, crude protein, neutral detergent fiber and acid detergent fiber as well as total feed cost and cost per kg weight gain. The growth parameters considered in the feeding were not significantly affected by the varying combinations of napier and rensonii (Factor A) though yeast supplementation (Factor B) has significantly (P<.05) affected the final weight and feed conversion ratio. Furthermore, highly significant differences (P<.01) were also observed in total weight gain, average daily gain and feed cost per kilogram weight gain as affected by the presence and absence of the yeast in the concentrate. Non significant interaction effects were also observed in the different growth performance parameters.In vivo digestibility trial showed dry matter digestibility to be slightly better in treatment combination with no yeast supplementation, higher crude protein digestibility in groups with 2% yeast supplementation, higher neutral detergent fiber digestibility in non-yeast supplemented group as well as those in the acid detergent fiber digestibility.


Introduction

Livestock plays an important role in sustainable agriculture, since they can counteract two environmental problems: declining soil fertility and soil erosion. They feed forage and grain, and produce manure which helps sustain and build the soil for future forage and crop production.

Desmodium rensonii  is a good fodder for all types of livestock. It contains approximately 20-22% crude protein. It is also a good source of biomass. Desmodiumproduces an average fresh biomass of 65-85 mt/ha/year, equivalent to 13-17 mt of dry weight/ha/year. The leaves can be fed to cattle, carabao, goats, sheep, rabbits, guinea pigs and pigs.    
                                                                                                                             
Napier grass (Pennisetum purpureum) is one of the highest yielding tropical forage grasses. Feeding whole or chopped at 45 day regrowth had no effect on the digestibility of all nutrients. Wilting increases the digestibility of dry matter, crude protein and crude fiber as well as that of N-free extract and gross energy since it was reported that the said factors were significantly higher for wilted than for fresh grass, which were increased in 60 day regrowth (Paduano, 2006).

In all developing and under developed countries, the feeding practice for ruminants is supplying the bulk of feed with grasses and crop residues majority of which are of low quality. These feeds are expectedly low in nutritive value thus, they have a significant effect on the overall digestibility of nutrients by the animal. The reality must be accepted that in the Philippines, it is a common practice to feed animals with low quality fiber which results to lower digestibility. To reduce chances of lower digestibility due to the feeding of low quality fiber, treatment of feed is needed; which often times is not also being practiced.

The use of biological feed additives, particularly live yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) cultures is gaining favor as a means of improving the nutrition of ruminant animals (Wallace and Newbold 1992). However, the extent of response is often influenced by the basic diet of the host animal (Williams et al 1991; Fiems et al 1993) and the strain of yeast (Newman and Spring 1993; Newbold et al 1995). It was previously reported (Kumar et al 1994) that the inclusion of yeast culture (Yea-Sacc 1026) in a high concentrate diet of buffalo calves increases microbial populations and alters fermentation in the rumen.

This study on production performance of growing Bulgarian Murrah Buffalo calves fed with varying levels of Napier grass (Pennisetum purpureum) and Rensonii (Desmodium rensonii) with and without yeast on the concentrate was conducted to guide local farmers, veterinarians and animal nutritionists to utilize local grasses and legumes as well as yeast due to the high increase of feeds and feed additives in the market.

Generally, this study was conducted to evaluate the nutritive value of varying levels of Napier grass and Rensonii with and without yeast supplementation in the concentrate for the growing Bulgarian Murrah Buffalo calves.

Specifically, this study sought to:

     1. Determine the parameters on growth performance such as: initial weight, final weight, total weight gain,
         average daily gain, total dry matter intake, average dry matter intake as % body weight and feed
         conversion ratio of growing Bulgarian Murrah Buffalo calves;

     2. Determine the apparent in vivo digestibility of varying levels of Napier grass and Rensonii with and
         without yeast supplementation on growing Bulgarian Murrah Buffalo calves; and

The study was conducted at the Philippine Carabao Center Research Area Musuan, Maramag, Bukidnon, Philippines from December 05, 2006 to March 01, 2007.

The pens were thoroughly cleaned and properly disinfected by spraying Biocid diluted with water two (2) weeks before start of the study. Lighting, watering, and feeding facilities were also prepared following the prescribed disinfection procedure.

The eighteen (18) growing Bulgarian Murrah Buffalo calves used in this study were randomly distributed using a 3 X 2 Factorial Complete Randomized Design (CRD) with dietary treatment combinations as follows: T1-100%Napier Grass+ Concentrate alone (no yeast),T2-90% Napier Grass + 10% Rensonii + Concentrate alone (no yeast),T3-80% Napier Grass + 20% Rensonii + Concentrate alone (no yeast),T4-    100% Napier Grass + Concentrate with 2% yeast. T4- 90% Napier Grass + 10% Rensonii + Concentrate with 2% yeast.T6-80% Napier Grass + 20% Rensonii + Concentrate with 2% yeast.

The animals were given the feeds based on the treatment combinations which were provided twice a day where feeding of concentrates was in the morning and napier grass and rensonii combination in the afternoon.


 
Study 2.  In  Vivo  Digestibility  of  Varying  Combination  of  Napier Grass  (Pennisetum   purpureum) and Rensonii (Desmodium rensonii) with or without Yeast Supplementation in the Concentrate in Growing Bulgarian Murrah Buffalo Calves

A cut and carry method was used followed by chopping at the forage chopper  that are available at Philippine Carabao Center. Clean drinking water was made available all the time in the animals’ respective watering troughs.

The animals were given 30% concentrate from its total feed requirements of 3% of the total live weight (dry matter basis). The ingredients used in mixing the concentrate where yeast (Yea-Sacc 1026, Saccharomyces cerevisiae) was readily mixed according to the designated treatment (with or without yeast).

At the middle of the feeding trial, six animals were used in digestibility trial, with one animal representing a treatment. The six different diets that were used in feeding trial were tested on their respective apparent in vivo digestibility. Chemicals were thoroughly prepared prior to laboratory analysis proper. 



Laboratory Trial at the Animal Nutrition Laboratory, Animal Science Department, Central Mindanao University, Musuan Bukidnon, Philippines.


For seven (7) consecutive days, samples of feed given and refuse were collected. All feces voided out daily for 7 days were also collected, weighed and recorded.

A kilogram of fresh daily fecal sample was sundried and placed in a net bag properly labeled and air dried. This was eventually oven dried and prepared for further laboratory analysis along with feed given and refusal. The fecal sample was brought to Soil and Plant Tissue Testing Laboratory (SPTLL) for grinding and crude protein analysis.Representative feed and fecal samples were analyzed for dry matter following the AOAC (1975) method. Neutral detergent fiber (NDF) and Acid detergent fiber (ADF) analysis was done following the Van Soest and Wine (1975) procedure.

The  two studies were conducted to evaluate the production  performance  of  growing bulgarian  murrah buffalo calves fed with varying levels of napier grass (pennisetum purpureum) and rensonii (desmodium rensonii) withand without yeast in the concentrate. Specifically, it determine the growth performance of Bulgarian murrah buffalo calves (Initial weight, Final weight, Total Weight Gain, ADG, FCR, Total dry matter intake,Daily dry matter intake as % of body weight, Feed Cost, Feed cost per kilogram gain) and In Vivo digestibility of Bulgarian murrah calves (DM, CP, ADF, NDF).


Results and Discussion

Results in the feeding trial showed that all parameters gathered were not significantly affected by napier and rensonii (Factor A) combinations. Yeast supplementation (Factor B) however has significantly (P<.05) affected final weight and feed conversion ratio while highly significant differences (P<.01) were observed in total weight gain, average daily gain and feed cost per kilogram weight gains.

On growth performance; T2-90% napier/ 10% rensonii without yeast showed highest final weight, total weight gain, average daily gain, feed conversion ratio and total dry matter intake of 210.00 kg, 62.67 kg, 0.74 kg,6.79 kg and 424.81 kg respectively while the lowest growth parameters was on the diet given with 100% napier/ 0% rensonii with yeast supplementation (T4) of 179.00kg, 40.33 kg, 0.48 kg, 9.56 kg and 368.19 kg on final weight, total weight gain, average daily gain, feed conversion ratio and total dry matter intake respectively.

However, T2 (90% napier/ 10% rensonii without yeast) and T5 (90% napier 10% rensonii with yeast) got the highest average dry matter intake as % body weight of 2.80 kg while the rest of the treatment got 2.70 average dry matter intake as % body weight.

In vivo digestibility trial showed better result. Dry matter digestibility, Crude protein digestibility, Neutral and Acid detergent fiber digestibility were evaluated. Based on DM digestibility, calves with 10% rensonii without yeast supplementation on T2 (76.64%) got the highest DM digestibility followed by T1 (75.88%), T3 (74.61%), T5 (74.24%), T6 (72.63%) and the calves given with 0% rensonii with yeast supplementation (T4) had the lowest dry matter digestibility of 71.96% while  CP digestibility showed  that  calves with 10% rensonii with yeast supplementation on T5 (71.58%) performed well followed by  T3 (69.71%), T2 (69.12%), T6 (65.81%), T4 (65.64) and the calves given with 0% rensonii without yeast supplementation (T1) had the lowest crude protein digestibility of 59.44%.

NDF digestibility and ADF digestibility showed almost the same results with NDF digestibility observed on calves with 10% rensonii without yeast supplementation with T2 (79.90%) as the top performer followed by T3 (79.43%), T5 (78.78%), T1 (78.50%), T6 (77.17%) and the calves given with 0% rensonii with yeast supplementation (T4) had the lowest neutral detergent fiber digestibility of 75.95%. As to ADF digestibility, calves given with 10% rensonii without yeast supplementation, T2 (72.67%) was the highest followed by T3 (69.72%), T1 (69.02%), T5 (68.80%), T6 (66.75%) and the calves given with 0% rensonii with yeast supplementation (T4) had the lowest acid detergent fiber digestibility of 64.80%.

As economic values were evaluated specifically the total feed cost, no significant differences among treatment means was observed while feed cost per kilogram weight gain of growing Bulgarian Murrah Buffalo calves showed highly significant effect (P<.01) differences in animals supplemented with yeast.

Animals not receiving any yeast supplementation needed lower amount (P 33.99) as compared to those with yeast in their diet which needed P 42.98 feed cost for a kilogram gain. This result is brought about by the fact that both groups have relatively similar feed consumption but those with yeast supplement have lower weight gains. 


Conclusions

It is concluded that Napier/Rensonii combination did not influence the growth performance of growing Bulgarian Murrah Buffalo calves although those with 90% napier 10% rensonii without yeast performed better. Yeast supplementation however showed highly significant (P<.01) differences among treatment means but the interaction of two factors have no significance on the growth performance of the experimental animals.

The combination of napier/rensonii fed to calves as well as the presence or absence of yeast on the concentrate resulted to better apparent digestibility on dry matter, crude protein, neutral detergent fiber and acid detergent fiber.

In terms of total feed cost and feed cost/ kg weight gain in feeding napier/rensonii combination as well as presence and absence of yeast supplementation, it shows that animals without yeast supplementation have a great return than those supplemented with yeast.


References

**= Highly significant     *= Significant     ns= Non significant
Means fallowed by the same letter (s) are not significantly different at 1% and 5% level of significance based on DMRT.


Table 2. Dry matter digestibility (%) of varying combination of napier grass and rensonii with and without yeast supplementation in the concentrate in growing Bulgarian Murrah Buffalo calves

Table 3. Crude protein digestibility (%) of varying combination of napier grass and rensonii with and without yeast supplementation in the concentrate in growing Bulgarian Murrah Buffalo calves

Table 4. Neutral detergent fiber digestibility (%) of varying combination of napier grass and rensonii with and without yeast supplementation in the concentrate in growing Bulgarian Murrah Buffalo calves

TREATMENT	TOTAL NDF INTAKE (KG)	TOTAL NDF FECES	% IN VIVO NDF DIGESTIBILITY
T1-100% Napier + concentrate w/o yeast	14.84	3.19	78.50
T2- 90% Napier, 10% rensonii+ concentrate w/o yeast	15.27	3.07	79.90
T3- 80% Napier,20% rensonii+ concentrate w/o yeast	14.49	2.98	79.43
T4- 100% Napier + concentrate with 2% yeast	13.14	3.16	75.95
T5- 90% Napier,10% rensonii + concentrate with 2% yeast	14.70	3.12	78.78
T6- 80% Napier, 20% rensonii + Concentrate with 2% yeast	13.84	3.16	77.17

Table 5. Acid detergent fiber digestibility (%) of varying combination of napier grass and rensonii with and without yeast supplementation in the concentrate in growing Bulgarian Murrah Buffalo calves

TREATMENT	TOTAL NDF INTAKE (KG)	TOTAL NDF FECES	% IN VIVO ADF DIGESTIBILITY
T1-100% Napier + concentrate w/o yeast	12.33	3.82	69.02
T2- 90% Napier, 10% rensonii+ concentrate w/o yeast	12.66	3.46	72.67
T3- 80% Napier,20% rensonii+ concentrate w/o yeast	12.02	3.64	69.72
T4- 100% Napier + concentrate with 2% yeast	10.91	3.84	64.80
T5- 90% Napier,10% rensonii + concentrate with 2% yeast	12.21	3.81	68.80
T6-80% Napier, 20% rensonii+ concentrate with 2% yeast	11.49	3.82	66.75

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