Nutritional potential of bamboo leaves for feeding dairy cattle

ABSTRACT Feed shortage during the dry season in the highlands of Madagascar negatively impacts the dairy cattle productivity, as well as the farmers’ income. Bamboo can produce a high quantity of biomass and could be an alternative way to increase the fodder supply for cattle. The present study aimed to assess the compositional information and the optimal rate of bamboo as fodder for dairy cattle. Leaf samples from nine bamboo species were collected to determine their chemical composition and nutritive value. A feeding experiment was also conducted using ten dairy cows, over ten weeks. Bamboo leaves were mixed with maize silage in five proportions: SIL0:BAM100, SIL25:BAM75, SIL50:BAM50, SIL75:BAM25 and SIL100:BAM0. The contents of dry matter, total ash and crude protein in the bamboo leaves were, respectively, 44.5-64.6 %, 6.68-18.5 % and 7.71-15.4 %. In the feeding trial, the dry matter intake of bamboo leaves was 1.6-7.1 kg per day, with an average of 4.8 kg per day. The dry matter apparent digestibility of bamboo leaves was 37.4-56.4 %. The milk production reached 13.6-14.4 L per cow, per day, but there was no significant difference concerning the rate of bamboo leaves in the mixed diet (p > 0.05). The introduction of bamboo leaves into the ruminants diet did not affect their milk production.

摘要：马达加斯加高地旱季饲料短缺问题，会对奶牛生产性能及农户收入造成负面影响。竹子生物量产率可观，可作为提升奶牛饲料供应的替代途径。本研究旨在评估竹子作为奶牛饲料的组分信息及最优添加比例。研究采集了9个竹种的叶片样本，以测定其化学成分与营养价值。同时针对10头奶牛开展了为期10周的饲喂试验，将竹叶与玉米青贮按5种比例混合：SIL0:BAM100、SIL25:BAM75、SIL50:BAM50、SIL75:BAM25及SIL100:BAM0。竹叶的干物质、总灰分及粗蛋白含量分别为44.5%~64.6%、6.68%~18.5%与7.71%~15.4%。饲喂试验中，竹叶干物质采食量为每日1.6~7.1 kg，平均每日4.8 kg。竹叶干物质表观消化率为37.4%~56.4%。单头奶牛日均产奶量达13.6~14.4 L，但混合日粮中竹叶添加比例对产奶量无显著影响（p > 0.05）。在反刍动物日粮中添加竹叶，不会对其产奶量造成影响。