We evaluated the precision and accuracy of equations from the Australian Ruminant Feeding Standards (ARFS) and the Large Ruminant Nutrition System (LRNS) in predicting the performance of Ongole (Bos indicus) cattle under Indonesian conditions. A database was constructed using information from 121 cattle in five different pen-feeding experiments. Cattle included mature cows and growing bulls, and they were fed a range of diets commonly used by Indonesian farmers. We compared observed and predicted dry matter intake and daily liveweight gain. Model predictions were evaluated for precision and accuracy using mean bias, mean square prediction error and regression of observed against predicted values. Across all experiments, the LRNS provided the better estimates of intake and growth. While both models included animal age, sex, weight and body condition score, the LRNS provided better estimates of metabolisable energy requirements for maintenance of liveweight, feed quality and efficiency of energy utilisation. The LRNS model also better accounted for environmental conditions by including correction factors for minimum night temperature and relative humidity, in addition to average daily temperatures. Based on our results, the LRNS model appears suitable for use in Indonesian beef-production systems.
The aim of this experiment was to test the effectiveness of two diets in increasing liveweight (LW) and body condition score (BCS) of Brahman cows in Indonesia. Diets were based on rice straw, with additional energy and nitrogen (N) provided in the form of onggok (a cassava by-product) plus urea or a tree legume. Thirty mature, non-pregnant, non-lactating Brahman crossbred cows (288 kg LW, BCS 2/5) were allocated to one of two treatment groups. Cows were kept in individual pens for 21 weeks and offered one of two diets; (1) urea-supplemented rice straw ad libitum plus 10 g onggok DM/kg LW.day, or (2) untreated rice straw ad libitum plus 5 g onggok DM/kg LW.day and 5 g Gliricidia sepium DM/kg LW.day. The urea supplement provided no advantages over using locally available N sources such as gliricidia, with both supplement types meeting the rumen-degradable N requirements of the cows. Cows on both diets gained weight at a similar rate (0.19 kg/day) for the first 15 weeks of the experiment. Liveweight gain in Weeks 16–21 was only 0.04 kg/day, despite an increase in total feed intake and energy content of the diets compared with Weeks 1–15. Liveweight of cows stabilised during Weeks 16–21 at 304 kg, BCS 2.2. While our results demonstrate that Brahman cows can maintain LW on rice straw-based diets, they may not be able to maintain a BCS sufficient for good reproduction rates (i.e. BCS 3 or higher on 1–5 scale). Better quality diets containing higher levels of energy are required for cows to gain and maintain a suitable BCS.
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