Rumen degradation characteristics of sweet potato foliage and performance by local and crossbred calves fed milk and foliage from three cultivars

The study investigated rumen dry matter (DM) degradability characteristics in a completely randomized design and the effects of milk, sweet potato foliage (SPF) from three cultivars (A = TIS-87/0087; B = TIS-8164; C = TIS-2532.OP.1.13), dried brewers' grains (DBG) and cottonseed meal (CSM) as supplements to Panicum maximum (Panicum) for pre-weaned calves in randomized complete block designs. Diet 1 = milk + SPF-A foliage + Panicum, Diet 2 = milk + SPF-B foliage + Panicum, Diet 3 = milk + SPF-C foliage + Panicum, and Diet 4 = milk + DBG & CSM + Panicum (as control). Dry matter (130 ± 0.4 to 864 ± 3.9 g kg^− 1), ash (54 ± 4.2 to 173 ± 2.8 g kg^− 1 DM), OM (827 ± 4.2 to 946 ± 5.7 g kg^− 1 DM), N (7.4 ± 0.6 to 38.6 ± 1.4 g kg^− 1 DM), and NDF (439 ± 1.4 to 774 ± 8.5 g kg^− 1 DM) contents were highly significant (P < 0.01). In Trial I, 16 pre-weaned calves were used over 70 d with milk intake (34.8 ± 4.4 ml kg W^− 0.75 d^− 1), Panicum DMI (22.3 ± 2.77 g kg W^− 0.75 d^− 1), total DMI (35.7 ± 2.83 g kg W^− 0.75 d^− 1), and LWG (198 ± 44.6 g d^− 1) not significantly different (P > 0.05). Supplement DMI varied (P < 0.05) from 11.6 g kg W^− 0.75 d^− 1 in Diet 3 to 16.6 g kg W^− 0.75 d^− 1 in Diet 4. In Trial II, 16 pre-weaned local and crossbred calves were involved over 77 d with initial age of calves, Panicum intake, metabolic DMI, and LWG similar (P > 0.05) among crosses. Birthweight varied (P < 0.05) from 17.3 kg for N'Dama × Jersey crosses to 21.2 kg for White Fulani × Brown Swiss crosses. Supplement and total DMI ranged (P < 0.05) from 172 to 483 g d^− 1 for N'Dama × Jersey crosses to 233 and 674 g d^− 1 for non-inseminate or purebred calves, respectively. The LWG in the White Fulani × Brown Swiss and the N'Dama × Jersey calves were respectively 30% and 24% better, though not significantly, than purebred calves. In Trial III, rumen DM degradability characteristics of feeds in three N'Dama steers showed no significant differences (P > 0.05) in slowly degradable fraction (b) and rate of degradation of b (c). Soluble fraction (a), 48-h degradation, potential degradability (PD) and effective degradability (ED) varied significantly (P < 0.05) and were lowest in Panicum, but similar for foliage among the three sweet potato cultivars. Panicum fodder showed improvements in degradation characteristics with supplementation.     

An Evaluation of the Acceptability as Forage of Some Nutritive and Antinutritive Components and of the Dry Matter Degradation Profiles of Five Species of Ficus

The suitability of five species of Ficus, F. mucoso, F. thonningii, F. polita, F. religiosa and F. benjamina, for feeding ruminant livestock was studied. The nutritive and antinutritive components were determined and the acceptability of the forages to livestock was assessed using a cafeteria method in 8 adult small ruminants. Also, the degradation potential of the dry matter of the five Ficus species was investigated using 3 fistulated sheep. The crude protein (CP) content of the Ficus species varied significantly (p < 0.05), ranging from 130 to 180 g/kg DM. The content of neutral detergent fibre (NDF) also varied significantly (p < 0.05), ranging from 650 to 710 g/kg DM. The organic matter (OM) contents did not differ significantly (p > 0.05), having a mean value of 916 g/kg DM. The concentrations of tannin, saponin, phytic acid and oxalic acid were low. The acceptability of the forage was similar for four of the species but poor for F. polita. The extent of DM degradation varied significant among the Ficus species, the ranking order being F. benjamina > F. thonningii > F. mucoso > F. religiosa > F. polita.     

Supplementing Guinea grass with fresh sweet potato foliage for milk production by Bunaji and N'Dama cows in early lactation

Forage from three sweet potato cultivars (A = TIS-87/0087; B = TIS-8164; C = TIS-2532.OP.1.13 at 30% daily dry matter intake), dried brewers' grains (DBG) and cottonseed meal (CSM) each at 2.5 kg were supplemented to Guinea grass (GG) to form four diets: Diet A = GG + TIS-87/0087; Diet B = GG + TIS-8164; Diet C = GG + TIS-2532.OP.1.13, and Diet D = GG + DBG + CSM (as control). Treatments were assigned as 4 × 4 Latin squares design over 60 days (10-day adaptation and 5-day sampling) using Bunaji and N'Dama cows in early lactation. The 48-h rumen dry matter (DM) degradation ranged (P < 0.01) from 407 g kg^? 1 DM for GG to 791 g kg^? 1 DM for sweet potato cultivar TIS-87/0087. Bunaji dry matter intake varied (P < 0.05) between 7.1 kg day^? 1 in Diet B and 8.9 kg day^? 1 in Diet D, but was similar (P > 0.05) among diets for the N'Dama cows. The metabolisable energy (ME) intakes were higher for Diet D although, it recorded the least efficiency of ME utilization for milk production. Milk yields were significantly (P < 0.01) higher in the Bunaji than the N'Dama cows, which is typical of their true breed differences. Total solids, ash, protein, fat, and sugar contents of the milk were similar among diets for both cow breeds, except Bunaji ash contents that ranged (P < 0.05) from 0.77 g 100 g^? 1 for Diet B to 0.83 g 100 g^? 1 for Diet D. The results suggest that sweet potato forage could be utilized as whole or partial replacement for DBG and CSM to save cost under smallholder farming systems.     

Compilation and adoption of ethno-veterinary medicine,traditional and other management practices by small ruminant farmers in Edo State Nigeria

An inventory study into the ethno-veterinary medicine and traditional management practices and the extent of their adoption in the management of small ruminants by farmers in Edo State, Nigeria was carried out. Three hundred and fifty (350) small ruminant farmers randomly chosen from the seven (7) randomly selected local government areas in the state were used for the study. Data pertaining to farmers’ background information, small ruminant acquisition and rearing as well as the ethno-veterinary medicines (EVMs) adopted were collected through a scheduled interview where structured questionnaires were administered. Data collected were used in the computation of ethno-veterinary medicine use indices (EVMUIs) and were subjected to simple statistical analysis. Results showed that 60.5% of the farmers interviewed were male while 39.4% were females and 56.9% of them were above 40 years old. About 60% of the farmers had between primary and secondary education, while 33.1% have no formal education and about 86% had little or no exposure to mass media. Thirty-seven (37) different EVMs/Traditional practices were identified. Based on their EVMUIs, 11 or 29.73% were highly used, 9 or 24.32% were moderately used while 17 or 45.95% were poorly used by farmers. Materials identified were noted to be locally available and were fully discussed. It is concluded that EVMs practices are actually adapted to the culture and socio-economic realities of resource poor farmers and means of spreading the knowledge among small scale farmers should be encouraged.     

Sweet potato and Green panic as sole fodder for stall-fed lactating White Fulani cows and growing calves

Three sweet potato varieties (TIS-87/0087; TIS-8164; TIS-2532.OP.1.13) and Green panic (Panicum maximum) were evaluated for forage quality in a completely randomized design (CRD) using 12 sole-fed lactating White Fulani cows for 21 days, and 12 growing White Fulani and White Fulani x Brown Swiss calves for 77 days. Dry matter intake of cows ranged (p < 0.05) between 131 g/W_kg ^0.734 in TIS-87/0087 and 152 g/W_kg ^0.734 in TIS-8164. Daily milk yields increased (p < 0.05) in TIS-87/0087 (2%) and TIS-8164 (5%), but decreased in TIS-2532.OP.1.13 (5%) and Green panic (19%). Mean (±SEM) milk total solids (13.16 ± 0.05 g/100 g), ash (0.78 ± 0.01 g/100 g), protein (3.79 ± 0.07 g/100 g), fat (3.98 ± 0.06 g/100 g), and lactose (4.62 ± 0.14 g/100 g) were significantly different (p < 0.05) among treatments. The White Fulani x Brown Swiss calves recorded about 10, 25 and 29% higher birthweight, milk intake and bodyweight gains respectively, but about 3% lower dry matter intake than the purebred White Fulani calves. The rumen degradation rates were similar (p > 0.05), while the rest rumen dry matter degradation characteristics were lowest (p < 0.05) for Green panic. Sweet potato forage could be used as sole feed or supplement for dry-season Green panic.