Document Type : Original Article
Authors
1
Nat. Res. Dept., Fac. Asian Postgraduate Studies, Zagazig Univ., Egypt
2
Nat. Res. Dept., Fac. Asian Postgraduate Studies, Zagazig Univ., Egypt.
3
Agron.Dept., Agric. Res. Cent., Giza, Egypt
Abstract
Cultivation of tropical alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.), or lucerne provides breeders with a high-quality feed, leading to significant improvement in the condition and health of livestock and an increase in the production of meat, milk, and eggs. This review will be very important source of information not only for researchers but also for businessman who have a concern to develop alfalfa tropic either for feed or food (growth characteristic, function and nutrient content).The leaf meal supplements used as feed comprised elephant grass (Pennisetumpurpureum), leaf meal of Leucaena(Leucaenaleucocephala), Gliricidia (Gliricidiasepium) and Mulberry (Morus alba), partially replacing rice bran, coconut cakel, fish meal, maize epidermis, molasses, and minerals. This study used a completely randomized design with five replications for each of the three treatments: feed concentrate without leaf meal (control, CTL), feed concentrate wit 25% leaf meal (LM25) and feed concentrate with 50% leaf meal (LM50). Feeding the leaf meal to FH dairy cows had no effect on total dry matter intake. However, there was a linear increase in milk yield, and a depression in milk fat, as the level of leaf meal in the diet was increased.Replacing 50% of the concentrate supplement with leaf meals from Mulberry, Gliricidia and Leucaena increased the milk production by 20% without increasing the total dry matter intake. However, the fat content of the milk was depressed by inclusion leaf meal in the diet.This study aimed to determine the effect of concentrate to forage ratio (C/F) on milk urea nitrogen (MUN), milk production, and reproductive performance of dairy cows of smallholder farmers of TaniWilis cooperative in Sendang, Tulungagung, Indonesia. A survey was conducted to identify productive cows based on records from the cooperative. Sampling was conducted twice. First sampling was based on reproductive efficiency and milk production criteria. Data on age, parity, postpartum lactation, milk production, reproductive efficiency, body condition score, weight, and feed measurements (forage and concentrates) were obtained from 60productive cows. Second sampling selected 26 dairy cows with normal estrous cycle. These cows were then allocated into two groups based on their C/F. Their milk and feed were sampled to measure MUN and conduct proximate analysis, respectively. T-test showed that cows that received dietary intake with C/F >30% showed higher (P<0.05) MUN, milk production and reproductive performance than those with C/F <30%.
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