Tag Archives: animal science

2050-2056 S.M.P. Teixeira, C.S.A.M. Maduro Dias, C.F.M. Vouzela, J.S Madruga and A.E.S. Borba
Nutritive characterization of Musa spp and its effects on in vitro Rumen fermentation characteristics
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Nutritive characterization of Musa spp and its effects on in vitro Rumen fermentation characteristics

S.M.P. Teixeira*, C.S.A.M. Maduro Dias, C.F.M. Vouzela, J.S Madruga and A.E.S. Borba

University of the Azores, FCAA, Institute of Agricultural and Environmental Research and Technology, Rua Capitão João d’Ávila, 9700-042 Angra do Heroísmo, Açores, Portugal
*Correspondence: sofia.mp.teixeira@uac.pt

Abstract:

This research aims to study the effect of nutritive value of Musa spp on animal feed. Residues of banana culture, leaves and stems, could be used as a fibre source for animal feeding, especially in Banana producing areas, such as Macaronesia Archipelagos, avoiding wastes and supplementing periods of scarcity of food.
Musa spp were collected and dried at 65 °C in an oven with controlled air circulation. The pseudostems were divided in three different portions and chemical composition, in vitro digestibility, and in vitro gas production were determined. Regarding dry matter results, they were low (16.54% in leaves and 6.54% DM% in pseudostem), crude protein raging 11.25 DM% in leaves and 7.25% in pseudostem. Concerning fiber values, NDF is higher in leaves (70.07 DM%) than in pseudostems (52.11 DM%) and ADL is higher in leaves (9.90 DM%) comparing with pseudostems (6.21 DM%). In vitro DM digestibility is low, (24.42% in leaves and 42.69% in pseudostem), corroborating the NDF values. Cumulative gas production was recorded at 4, 8, 12, 24, 48, 72, and 96 h of incubation. The results showed that the gas production in leaves was lower (11.36 mL 200 mg˗1 DM) when compared to pseudostem (23.81 mL 200 mg˗1 DM), being so in accordance with the digestibility results.
The current study suggested that this by-product can be used in animal feed, however, it will be necessary to carry out tests to improve its nutritional value, namely with NaOH and/or with Urea, being a promising strategy for improving ruminant feed efficiency.

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1112–1123 L. Proskina and S. Cerina
Economic assessment of use of pulses in diets for captive red deer
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Economic assessment of use of pulses in diets for captive red deer

L. Proskina¹* and S. Cerina²

¹Latvia University of Life Sciences and Technologies, Faculty of Economics and Social Development, 18 Svetes Street, LV-3001 Jelgava, Latvia
²Institute of Agricultural Resources and Economics, 2 Zinatnes street, Priekuli, Priekulu parish, LV-4130 Priekulu district, Latvia
*Correspondence:liga.proskina@llu.lv

Abstract:

The quality of compound feeds used in livestock diets could be enhanced by means of domestically produced pulses. Nevertheless, there are available few research studies that would allow us to identify the economic efficiency of livestock diets with pulses and the digestibility of protein by livestock for deer farming. Accordingly, the present research aims to identify the economic efficiency of diets supplemented with domestically produced pulses – faba beans, peas and lupine beans – for captive deer. The research conducted a feeding experiment on captive deer (Cervus elaphus) kept in fenced areas to identify the economic efficiency of diets supplemented with three legume species: peas (variety ‘Vitra’), faba beans (variety ‘Fuego’) and narrow-leaved lupin seeds (variety ‘Boregine’). Deer productivity was assessed by live weight, live weight gain, feed intake and protein efficiency ratio during the experimental period, as well as feed cost per live weight gain unit. The research found that feeding deer diets containing peas, faba beans and lupine beans as protein-rich feedstuffs was economically advantageous – at the same cost of feed, deer productivity increased and per-unit production costs decreased. Live weight gains during the experimental period were 1.02% higher in group 2 (pea diet), 1.78% higher in group 3 (faba bean diet) and 2.91% higher in group 4 (lupine diet) than in the control group. During the experimental period, the highest protein efficiency ratio was found in group 4 fed a diet containing lupine beans – a unit of protein fed (1 kg) yielded the highest weight gain or 0.43 kg. Feed costs per kg of live weight gain were the lowest in group 4 (2.32 EUR kg-1), 2.48 EUR kg-1 in group 3 and 2.70 EUR kg-1 in group 2, which was 20.56%, 14.81% and 7.39%, respectively, lower than those in the control group.

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