The utilization of rice straw supplemented with cassava foliage hay and sorghum grain by steers

Abstract

Two stall-feeding experiments were conducted to examine the effect of supplementing rice straw (RS) with different levels of cassava foliage hay (CFH) and sorghum grain on its digestibility and intake by steers. In experiment 1 were studied four diets as follows: (A) RS alone, (B) 75% RS and 25% CFH, (C) 50% RS and 50% CFH, and (D) CFH alone. The organic matter digestibility and intake were similar (P >.05) for diets A and D. However, when RS was supplemented with CFH the organic matter digestibility and intake were dependent on the percentage of CFH in the diet. The digestible organic matter intake reached a maximum at 25% of CFH. In experiment 2 the basal diet was the diet B, used in the first experiment, supplemented with 0%, 10%, 20% and 30% sorghum grain. Moreover, an additional treatment consisting of basal diet, where RS treated with NaOH (5%), was studied. The organic matter digestibility and intake were similar (P >.05) for alkali-treated and untreated basal diets. Supplementation with sorghum had no effect upon organic matter, energy and cell wall digestibilities, but linearly increased (P <.01) the digestible energy intake.