The utilization of Arachis pintoi and Gliricidia sepium as protein-sources substitute for dairy cattle

Abstract

Dairy cattle need high nutrient contents in their ration, especially in the first lactation period. Farmer prefers to feed the cattle with cheap andlow quality concentrate to decrease the feed cost. This condition leads to low milk production. This research aimed to observe the effect of substitution of legume which contains high protein to improve the cheap low-quality concentrate. This research uses twenty-four dairy cattle (8.5 months-pregnancy; average body weight (BW) 359.29±35.63Kg), which were randomly divided into 3 groups of dietary treatments. The treatment were Concentrate I (100% concentrate); Concentrate II (85% Concentrate+15% Gliricidia sepium); Concentrate III (Concentrate 85% + 15% Arachis pintoi). The observation was done during 16 weeks of feeding trial. The parameters observed were feed intake and digestibility, milk production, and feed conversion ratio (FCR). Milk production measured during 3 months-lactation periods. The result shows that concentrate substitution by using 15% Gliricidia sepium or Arachis pintoi didn’t affect feed intake (11.017-11.388kg DM/head/day), digestibility (56.70-58.32%), FCR(1.138-1.214 kg DM/L), and total milk production in first 3 months-lactation period (859.07-887.59 L/head). This research concludes concentrate can be replaced up to 15% by Gliricidia sp or Arachis Pintoi to improve quality without affect livestock performs, but decrease feed cost.