Development and evaluation of enriched silage using leguminous fodder trees to improve milk quality and yield of dairy cattle
Paper Details
Development and evaluation of enriched silage using leguminous fodder trees to improve milk quality and yield of dairy cattle
Abstract
In the Philippines, the ability of smallholder dairy farmers to produce milk is constrained by the lack of seasonal forage and low levels of protein in the diet. The objective of this research was to determine whether adding local legume fodder trees (Indigofera zollingeriana, Leucaena leucocephala and Arachis pintoi), provides better nutritional value than unamended corn silages. A Completely Randomized Design was used to compare corn silo as a control with silage containing 5% of each legume. After 30 days of ensiling the results were analyzed using proximate analysis (AOAC), which showed that all legume silages produced an increase in crude protein levels in comparison to the control; Indigos produced the lowest crude protein level (11.09%). Crude fiber was decreased in both Indigos and Arachis silages. There was also a substantial increase in ether extract levels in legumes treated silages. Therefore, low-level inclusion of legumes into corn silo can increase the nutritional content of the corn silo. Thus, they offer an opportunity for cost effective and sustainable feeding options for small dairies in the Philippines.
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