Hostname: page-component-77c89778f8-n9wrp Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-07-22T05:37:21.511Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Comparative feeding value of forages from two cereal-legume based cropping systems for beef production from crossbred (Bos taurus × Bos indicus) steers and subsequent performance of underfed and realimented steers

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 September 2010

N. N. Umunna
Affiliation:
International Livestock Centre for Africa, PO Box 5689, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
P. O. Osuji
Affiliation:
International Livestock Centre for Africa, PO Box 5689, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
H. Khalili
Affiliation:
International Livestock Centre for Africa, PO Box 5689, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
I. V. Nsahlai
Affiliation:
International Livestock Centre for Africa, PO Box 5689, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
S. Crosse
Affiliation:
International Livestock Centre for Africa, PO Box 5689, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Get access

Abstract

Foods produced from two cereal-legume cropping systems were evaluated in a 250-day growth trial using Friesian × Boran crossbred steers. Crops and crop combinations in cropping system 1 were oat-vetch (Avena sativa-Vicia dasycarpa; OV), wheat-trifolium (Triticum aestivum-Trifolium steudneri; WT), teff (Eragrostis tef) and chickpea (Pisum sp). Cropping system 2 differed from 1 in that maize-lablab (Zea mays-Lablab purpureus; ML) replaced ivheat-trifolium. Twenty-four steers (mean initial live weight 157 (s.d. = 4·5) kg were assigned randomly within weight group to four treatments. Treatments comprised ad libitum teff straw (TS) given alone (Tl), TS plus wheat middlings (WM) given at 0·01 M (body weight) (Tl), forages from system 1 fed in the order OV, WT and TS plus chickpea for 135, 48 and 67 days respectively (T3) or forages from system 2 fed in the order OV, ML and TS plus chickpea for 73, 147 and 30 days respectively (T4). The feeding period for each crop ofT3 and T4 was based on its contribution to the total dry matter (DM) yield of the cropping system. Apparent digestibility of DM measured by the acid-insoluble ash method was higher (P < 0·05) for T3 and T4 than for T2. DM intake was higher (V < 0·01) for steers on T2 resulting in 1 kg higher daily intake of digestible DM than for T3 and T4. Steers on T4 gained (average daily gain, ADG) more (P < 0·01) weight than steers on T3 (149 v. 85 g per head per day) but less (P · 0·01) than those on T2 (528 g per head per day). Steers on Tl lost 94 g per head per day. Food efficiency (kg yain per kg food) followed a similar trend as ADG. At the end of the trial, two steers from each treatment were slaughtered for carcass assessment and the remaining steers used in a realimentation study of 120 days and then slaughtered for carcass assessment. Steers which gained poorly during the 250-day trial (Tl, T3 and T4) exhibited compensatory gains of 497, 550 and 565 g per head per day respectively compared with 398 g per head per day for steers on T2. Carcasses from T2 yielded significantly more (P < 0·05) lean and fat than carcasses from T3 and T4. The results suggest that growing food crops in association with legumes has the potential of increasing cattle performance.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © British Society of Animal Science 1995

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Abate, T., Sherington, J. and Saleem, M. 1995. Integration of forage and food crops grown sequentially on vertisols under rain fed conditions in the mid altitude of Ethiopian highlands. Experimental Agriculture 30:291298.Google Scholar
Abate, T., Tekalign, M. and Getinet, G. 1992. Integration of forage legumes into cereal cropping systems in Vertisols of the Ethiopian highlands. Tropical Agriculture Trinidad 6872.Google Scholar
Akundabweni, L. M. S. 1984. Forage potential of some annual native Trifolium species in the Ethiopian highlands. Ph.D. thesis. South Dakota State University.Google Scholar
Anderson, H. R. 1975. The influence of slaughter weight and level of feeding on growth rate, feed conversion and carcass composition of bulls. Livestock Production Science 341355.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Association of Official Analytical Chemists. 1990. Official methods of analysis. 11th ed. Association of Official Analytical Chemists, Washington, DC.Google Scholar
Butler-Hogg, B. W. and Tulloh, N. M. 1982. Growth patterns in sheep. The effects of weight losses on compensatory growth and feed intake in Corriedale sheep. journal of Agricultural Science, Cambridge 99: 641649.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Butterworth, M. H. and Mosi, A. R. 1986. The voluntary intake and digestibility of combinations of cereal crop residues and legume hay for sheep. Bulletin, International Livestock Centre for Africa, no. 24, pp. 1427.Google Scholar
Buvanendran, V., Ikhatua, U. J., Abubakar, B. Y. and Olayiwole, M. B. 1983. Carcass characteristics of indigenous breeds of cattle in Nigeria. Journal of Agricultural Science, Cambridge 100:407411.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Ehoche, O. W., Alhassan, W. S., Umoh, J. E., Buvanendran, V. and Umunna, N. N. 1992. Growth performance and carcass characteristics following feed restriction and realimentation in Zebu bulls. African Livestock Research 1:2430.Google Scholar
Goering, H. K. and Van Soest, P. J. 1970. Forage fibre analyses (apparatus, reagents, procedures, and some applications). Agriculture handbook, US Department of Agriculture no. 379. Washington, D.C.Google Scholar
Goshu, M., Teketel, F., Alemu, G. W., Zeleke, D. and Addis, A. 1989. The Ethiopian livestock industry: retrospects and prospects. Proceedings of the third national livestock improvement conference, pp. 919. Institute of Agricultural Research, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.Google Scholar
Graham, W. C. and Price, M. A. 1982. Feedlot performance and carcass composition of cull cows of different ages. Canadian Journal of Animal Science 62:845854.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Greyseels, G. and Anderson, F. M. 1983. Research on-farm and livestock productivity in the central Ethiopian highlands: initial results, 1977-1980. Research report, International Livestock Centre for Africa no. 4. Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.Google Scholar
Gryseels, G. and Boodt, K. de. 1986. Integration of crossbred cows (Boran × Friesian) on smallholder farms in the Debre Zeit area of the Ethiopian highlands. Highland programme report, International Livestock Centre for Africa, Addis Ababa.Google Scholar
Hironaka, R. and Kozub, G. C. 1973. Compensatory growth of beef cattle restricted at two energy levels for two periods. Canadian Journal of Animal Science 53:709715.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Hironaka, R., Sonntag, B. H. and Kozub, G. C. 1984. The effect of feed restriction on feed efficiencies and carcasses of Charolais × Hereford steers. Canadian Journal of Animal Science 64:5966.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Jutzi, S. C., Haque, I. and Abate, T. 1987. The production of animal feed in the Ethiopian highlands: potentials and limitations. Proceedings of the first National Livestock Conference, pp. 141-142. Institute of Agricultural Research, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.Google Scholar
Kearl, L. C. 1982. Nutrient requirement of ruminants in developing countries. International Feedstuffs Institute, Agricultural Experiment Station, Utah State University, Logan, Utah.Google Scholar
Khalili, H., Varvikko, T. and Crosse, S. 1992. The effects of forage type and level of concentrate supplementation on food intake, diet digestibility and milk production of crossbred cows (Box taunts × Bos indicus). Animal Production 54:183189.Google Scholar
Lakpini, C. A. M., Adu, I. F., Buvanendran, V. and Umunna, N. N. 1982. Compensatory growth in Yankasa lambs. 1. Feed intake, live weight gain and efficiency of feed conversion, journal of Animal Production Research 2:6980.Google Scholar
Mclntire, J., Bourzat, D. and Pingali, P. 1992. Crop-livestock interaction in sub-Saharan Africa. World Bank, Washington, DC.Google Scholar
Mehrez, N. P. and Ørskov, E. R. 1977. A study of the artificial fibre bag technique for determining the digestibility of feeds in the rumen, journal of Agricultural Science, Cambridge 88:645650.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Nnadi, L. A. and Haque, I. 1988. Forage legumes in African crop-livestock production systems. Bulletin, International Livestock Centre for Africa, no. 30, pp. 1019.Google Scholar
O'Donovan, P. B., Conway, A. and O'Shea, J. 1972. A study of the herbage intake and efficiency of feed utilization of grazing cattle previously fed two winter planes of nutrition. Journal of Agricultural Science, Cambridge 78:8795.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Olayiwole, M. B., Butterworth, M. H., Sayers, M. and Olorunju, S. A. S. 1986. The effect of supplementing cereal straws with urea, trifolium hay and noug meal on feed intake, live weight gain of growing crossbred heifers. Bulletin, International Livestock Centre for Africa, no. 24, pp.1820.Google Scholar
Ørskov, E. R. and McDonald, I. 1979. The estimation of the protein degradability in the rumen from incubation measurements weighted according to rate of passage. journal of Agricultural Science, Cambridge 92:499503.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Osuji, P. O. and Capper, B. S. 1992. Effect of age on fattening and body condition of draught oxen fed teff straw (Eragrostis tef) based diets. Tropical Animal Health and Production 24:103108.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Statistical Analysis Systems Institute. 1987. SAS user's guide. SAS Institute Inc., Cary, North Carolina.Google Scholar
Tothill, J. C. 1987. Fodders and forage management for small-holder mixed farmers in the Ethiopian highlands. Paper presented at the 1C1MOD conference on mountain pasture andfodder management in the Hindus region, Kathmandu.Google Scholar
Van Keulen, J. and Young, B. A. 1977. Evaluation of acid-insoluble ash as a natural marker in ruminant digestibility studies, journal of Animal Science 44:282287.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Waldman, R. C., Tyler, W. J. and Brungardt, V. H. 1971. Changes in the carcass composition of Holstein steers associated with ration energy levels and growth, journal of Animal Science 32:611619.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed