Effect of molasses-urea cake on performance of growing and working local buffaloes and cattle
fed low nutritive value diets
Nguyen van Thu, Nguyen thi
kim Dong, Nguyen van Hon and Vo ai Quac
Faculty of Animal Husbandry and Vet.
Medicine, Cantho University, Haugiang, Vietnam
Summary
In three experiments, multinutritional cakes were fed to: 10
straw-fed working buffaloes in the dry season and 10 straw- and
grass-fed working buffaloes in the rainy season of 1990; 20
straw- and grass-fed working cattle in the dry and rainy season
of 1991; and 9 young buffaloes fed rice straw, grass and fresh
sugar cane bagasse in 1991. Comparable unsupplemented groups of
buffaloes and cattle were used as controls for each experiment.
During a month at the end of the dry season the liveweight change
of the supplemented buffaloes was 13.9±3.9 compared to -8.4±1.4
kg for the control (P<0.001). At the beginning of the rainy
season the comparable data were -1.8±4.4 and - 12.0±1.7 kg,
respectively (P<0.001). Supplemented buffaloes were able to
plough a greater area per day, at a faster speed, and with more
rapid recovery of normal pulse and respiration rate after
working. During a 3 month period, the liveweight change of
growing young buffaloes was 25.58±5.32 with urea-molasses cake
supplementation compared to 13.97±7.40 kg for the control
(P<0.01). It was concluded that the multinutritional cake
supported a good health and working capacity of native cattle and
buffaloes under harsh conditions of shortages of feed and water.
The cake was applauded by local farmers.
KEY WORDS: Urea-molasses cakes, buffaloes, cattle,
ploughing, supplementation, crop residues
Introduction
Native cattle and buffaloes are very important for food
production in the Mekong Delta region of Vietnam. They are
commonly reared by rural farmers all over the Delta, but the
development is limited due to lack of grass and drinking water in
the most saline parts, and even other areas during long dry
seasons. The animals have to consume rice stubble in the paddies,
with supplementation of rice straw or grass at night. Concentrate
feeds are not generally used because of the high cost. Persistent
malnutrition and hard work cause them to lose weight and
eventually to succumb to illness (Thu et al 1987: Thu and
Tham 1990).
A study entitled 2 Effect of molasses-urea cake on performance
of growing and working local buffaloes and cattle fed low
nutritive value diets was made by researchers at the University
of Cantho on small farms in Hauging and Angiang province as well
as at the Hoa An sulphate-acid soil research center in a attempt
to improve the situation concerning working capacity and meat
production of native cattle and buffaloes in the region.
Materials and methods
The first study comprised three experiments, the first one
carried out on adult buffaloes at Thanh Tri district of Haugiang
province in 1990. The first of the two smaller experiments was
carried out during the latter part of the dry season, when the
buffaloes were free of work, and the second at the beginning of
the rainy season when they were worked heavily. Ten buffaloes
were used in the experimental group, and ten as controls in each
of the smaller experiments.
The second study was carried out on adult cattle in Tinh Bien
district of An Giang province in 1991, and was similar to the
first experiment.
Molasses-urea cakes used in the experiments contained (%):
"B" molasses 37.9; urea 7.6; coconut oil meal 7.5; salt
3.8; rice bran 39.4; bone meal 3.8, and trace minerals 0.15. They
were moulded into 1.4 kg cakes and given to the experimental
cattle and buffaloes in the normal form or in the form of a thick
solution with drinking water, as mash sprinkled on straw, or as a
wet slop administered orally via a bamboo (700 g per animal
daily). Especially in the beginning of the rainy season the
animals were given cake 7 days before entering ploughing
schedule. All experiments lasted for one month. A detailed
description of "B" molasses is given in FAO (1992).
The third study was carried out on young buffaloes at the Hoa
An Sulphate-Acid Soil Research Center, and lasted for three
months. 18 young buffaloes (2-3 years old) were allocated to the
experiment, 9 used as controls and 9 given the cakes, which
contained (%): "B" molasses 39.65; urea 7.74; coconut
oil meal 7.34; salt 3.67; rice bran 23.49; maize 14.48; bone meal
3.34 and trace minerals 0.15. The experimental group was given
700 g cake per animal daily.
The experimental criteria recorded included changes in
liveweight, erythrocyte count, pulse, respiration rate, ploughing
area and speed, grazing time and amount of straw consumed. A
total of thirty four farmers participated in the trials.
Results and discussion
In experiment 1a of the first study, during the dry season,
buffaloes were fed solely stubble supplemented with small amounts
of rice straw at night. In experiment 1b, carried out at the
start of the rainy season, buffaloes took advantage of certain
amount of grass but also relied mostly on rice straw, with added
straw at night. They had to drink acid sulphate water and to work
very hard on land preparation.
Daily grazing duration of the control and experimental
buffaloes was 9.68 and 9.97 hours, respectively, in experiment 1a
and 7.50 and 7.55 hours in experiment 1b.
The amount of supplementary straw given to the control
buffaloes was 6.50 kg a day at the start and 7.56 kg a day at the
end of experiment 1a; while the quantity consumed by the cake-fed
buffaloes was 6.60 kg a day at the start, and 8.60 kg at the end
of the experiment. In experiment 1b the consumption of the straw
was not able to be recorded because the straw was wet and
spoiled. Observations were as follows:
| Table 1: Changes
in live weight and other physiological values of
buffaloes in experiment 1a (dry season; not working) |
 |
| Criteria |
Control |
Cake-fed |
Prob |
|
| Liveweight,
kg |
|
|
|
| At start |
354 |
381 |
|
| After 1 month
|
346 |
395 |
|
| Change |
-8.4 |
13.9 |
<0.001 |
| Erythrocyte
count, mill/ml |
|
|
|
| At start |
6.129 |
6.159 |
|
| After 1 month
|
5.708 |
6.435 |
|
| Change |
-0.421 |
0.276 |
<0.001 |
| Pulse,
beats/min |
|
|
|
| At start |
42.3 |
41.1 |
|
| After 1 month
|
45.4 |
39.6 |
|
| Change |
3.1 |
-1.5 |
<0.001 |
| Respiration
rate, beats/min |
|
|
|
| At start |
17.8 |
18.5 |
|
| After 1 month
|
19.7 |
18.3 |
|
| Change |
1.9 |
-0.2 |
<0.001 |
|
The results of experiment 1a showed that in the dry season,
even though not working, the buffaloes were so underfed that
their physiology was below the maintenance level, as reflected in
weight loss, sub-normal erythrocyte count and elevation in pulse
and respiration rates. They responded very well to
supplementation by the cakes, as shown by the improvements in
liveweight and standard physiological values (Table 1).
In experiment 1b, carried out at the beginning of the wet
season, the feeding conditions were better, but as the buffaloes
had to work harder their health deteriorated in both groups.
However, cake supplementation once again proved to have a
positive effect and improved the physical condition and
physiology of the buffaloes. When work was limited to 164 - 172
min. per day with a work pattern of four working days followed by
a free day, buffaloes in experiment 1b also showed improvements
in their working capacity and condition when given the cakes
(Table 2).
| Table 2. Changes
in live weight, physiological values and ploughing
capacity of buffaloes in experiment 1b; wet season
working) |
|
| Criteria |
Control |
Cake-fed |
Prob |
|
| Liveweight,
kg |
|
|
|
| At start |
345.9 |
372.0 |
|
| After 1 month
|
333.9 |
370.2 |
|
| Change |
-12.0 |
-1.8 |
< 0.001 |
| Erythrocyte
count, mill/ml |
|
|
|
| At start |
5.708 |
6.316 |
|
| After 1 month
|
5.590 |
6.491 |
|
| Change |
-0.118 |
0.175 |
< 0.001 |
| Pulse, beats/
min. |
|
|
|
| At start |
45.4 |
40.8 |
|
| After 1 month
|
47.8 |
41.7 |
|
| Change |
2.4 |
0.9 |
> 0.05 |
| Respiration
rate, beats/min |
|
|
|
| At start |
19.7 |
19.8 |
|
| After 1 month
|
20.8 |
20.6 |
|
| Change |
1.1 |
0.8 |
> 0.05 |
| Ploughed
area, m2/pair/day |
|
|
|
| At start |
1,919.2 |
2,243.0 |
|
| After 1 month
|
1,508.4 |
2,141.2 |
|
| Change |
-410.8 |
-101.8 |
< 0.001 |
| Ploughing
speed, m/min. |
|
|
|
| At start |
35.73 |
43.50 |
|
| After 1 month
|
31.53 |
40.70 |
|
| Change |
-4.20 |
-2.80 |
< 0.001 |
| Recovery
time, min. |
|
|
|
| At start |
13.7 |
11.9 |
|
| After 1 month
|
16.1 |
12.7 |
|
| Change |
2.4 |
0.8 |
< 0.05 |
|
In the experiment 2a of the second study, the experimental
cattle consumed 12.3"3.6 kg of fresh straw and
15.6"3.56 kg grass per day. The control group consumed
6.3"1.11 kg/d of fresh straw and 15.6"1.26 kg/d grass.
In experiment 2b the supplemented cattle consumed daily
6.8"1.93 kg of fresh straw and 15.1"3.2 kg grass, and
the controls 6.3 "1.27 and 16.0"2.1 kg/d, respectively
in the first 7 days of the experiment. On the following days,
they were fed 36.2"2.02 and 28.5"1.58 grass
respectively, because straw was no longer available.
In experiment 2a, at the end of the dry season cattle were
still fed grass by the farmers, so they were in good health.
Nevertheless, the cake also had positive effects on liveweight
and the erythrocyte counts of the cattle (Table 3).
| Table 3: Changes
in liveweight and other physiological values of cattle in
experiment 2a |
|
| Criteria |
Control |
Cake-fed |
Probab |
|
| Liveweight,
kg |
|
|
|
| At start |
244.3 |
248.5 |
|
| After 1 month
|
245.7 |
265.3 |
|
| Change |
1.4 |
16.8 |
< 0.001 |
| Erythrocyte
count, mill/ml |
|
|
|
| At start |
6.520 |
6.457 |
|
| After 1 month
|
6.544 |
7.361 |
|
| Change |
-0.024 |
0.904 |
< 0.001 |
| Pulse,
beats/min. |
|
|
|
| At start |
69.3 |
70.8 |
|
| After 1 month
|
70.8 |
69.9 |
|
| Change |
1.5 |
-0.9 |
> 0.05 |
| Respiration
rate, beats/min |
|
|
|
| At start |
27.2 |
26.4 |
|
| After 1 month
|
27.7 |
26.8 |
|
| Change |
0.5 |
0.4 |
> 0.05 |
|
In experiment 2b, working and feeding conditions were better
then those in experiment 1b as cattle ploughed lighter land and
were fed grass ad libitum. So their liveweight losses and
decrease in erythrocyte counts were small in the control group.
However, the molasses-urea cake also showed positive effects on
liveweight, ploughing capacity and other physiological values
(Table 4).
In the third experiment the young buffaloes were fed in their
stalls and allowed to bathe twice a day in the canal. Rice straw
and sugarcane bagasse were provided semi-ad libitum, with
a limit of 10 kg per animal daily. The experiment lasted for
three months. The results were as follows : rice straw
consumption was 3.51"0.47 kg/d, as compared to
3.79"0.20 kg/d for the control group (P>0.05) and fresh
sugarcane bagasse consumption was 0.513"0.097 kg/d vs.
0.476"0.095 kg/d (P < 0.05) for the control group.
During the course of experiment 3, it could be clearly seen
that the cake improved liveweight and erythrocyte counts of the
young buffaloes. Both groups showed decreases in pulse and
respiration rate, these being greater in the experimental group
than in the control (Table 5 ).
On finishing the experiment, two buffaloes from each of the
two groups were selected for slaughter, such that their
liveweights and body condition were near the average for their
respective groups. Slaughter values are shown in Table 6.
| Table 4: Changes
in liveweight, physiological values and ploughing
capacity of the cattle in the experiment 2b |
|
| Criteria |
Control |
Cake-fed |
Probab |
|
| Liveweight,
kg |
|
|
|
| At start |
252.7 |
257.3 |
|
| After 1 month
|
248.6 |
267.5 |
|
| Change |
-4.1 |
10.2 |
< 0.001 |
| Erythrocyte
count, 10^6/ml |
|
|
|
| At start |
6.440 |
6.458 |
|
| After 1 month
|
6.383 |
6.848 |
|
| Change |
-0.057 |
0.390 |
< 0.001 |
| Pulse,
beats/min. |
|
|
|
| At start |
69.0 |
69.3 |
|
| After 1 month
|
70.5 |
67.8 |
|
| Change |
1.5 |
-1.5 |
< 0.01 |
| Respiration
rate, beats/min |
|
|
|
| At start |
27.3 |
26.6 |
|
| After 1 month
|
28.6 |
27.2 |
|
| Change |
1.3 |
0.6 |
> 0.05 |
| Ploughed
area, m2/pair/day |
|
|
|
| At start |
1,410 |
1,400 |
|
| After 1 month
|
1,300 |
1,860 |
|
| Change |
-110 |
460 |
< 0.001 |
| Ploughing
speed, m/min. |
|
|
|
| At start |
32.918 |
33.406 |
|
| After 1 month
|
30.280 |
43.060 |
|
| Change |
-2.638 |
9.654 |
< 0.001 |
| Recovery
time, min. |
|
|
|
| At start |
22.6 |
21.0 |
|
| After 1 month
|
25.6 |
16.6 |
|
| Change |
3.0 |
-4.4 |
< 0.001 |
|
In Tables 6 and 7 it can be seen that the organs of the
experimental buffaloes are clearly different from the controls in
terms of weight as well as their appearance. In particular,
heart, liver and kidneys of the experimental buffaloes were more
developed than the controls, although further studies are needed
to determine the mechanisms involved.
Molasses-urea cake supplementation of native cattle and
buffaloes brought about increases in ploughing area and speed of
ploughing. Compared to the previous trials on nitrogen and
mineral supplementation in the form of loose mash and licking
blocks (Thu et al 1987; Khuyen 1988; Kieu 1988; Ngan
1988), the experiments produced more satisfactory results because
of the improved composition, nutrient content and palatability of
the cakes, as well as simple usage suited to local cattle and
buffaloes in more isolated villages.
| Table 5: Changes
in liveweight and other physiological values of the young
buffaloes in experiment 3 |
|
| Criteria |
Control |
Cake-fed |
Probab |
|
| Liveweight,
kg |
|
|
|
| At start |
254.00 |
250.11 |
|
| After 1 month
|
267.97 |
275.69 |
|
| Change |
13.97 |
25.58 |
< 0.01 |
| Erythrocyte
count, mill/ml |
|
|
|
| At start |
6.0 |
5.205 |
|
| After 1 month
|
5.964 |
6.377 |
|
| Change |
-0.056 |
1.172 |
< 0.001 |
| Hematocrit, % |
|
|
|
| At start |
27.55 |
26.06 |
|
| After 1 month
|
28.11 |
30.0 |
|
| Change |
0.55 |
3.94 |
< 0.01 |
| Respiration
rate, beats/min |
|
|
|
| At start |
21.55 |
22.66 |
|
| After 1 month
|
20.66 |
19.55 |
|
| Change |
-0.89 |
-3.11 |
< 0.01 |
| Pulse,
beats/min. |
|
|
|
| At start |
42.22 |
42.66 |
|
| After 1 month
40.66 38.88 |
|
|
|
| Change -1.56
-3.78 < 0.05 |
|
|
|
|
| Table 6:Carcass,
internal organ and offal weights of young buffaloes in
experiment 3 |
|
| |
Control |
Cake-fed |
| Criteria |
kg |
% |
kg |
% |
|
| Live weight |
251.0 |
100.0 |
260.0 |
100.0 |
| Carcass |
107.0 |
42.63 |
110.0 |
42.69 |
| Shrinkage |
14.12 |
5.62 |
17.48 |
6.72 |
| Lungs |
3.15 |
1.25 |
3.53 |
1.36 |
| Heart |
1.35 |
0.54 |
1.57 |
0.60 |
| Liver |
3.60 |
1.51 |
4.70 |
1.80 |
| Kidneys |
0.73 |
0.29 |
? |
? |
| Skeletal
muscle* |
36.9 |
71.6 |
39.4 |
72.9 |
| Bone* |
15.4 |
27.9 |
16.7 |
27.0 |
|
* In left half-carcass
Conclusion and recomendations
These experiments showed that the molasses-urea cake resulted
in significant improvements in health and productivity of native
cattle and buffaloes in the Mekong Delta region. Farmers and
local authorities appreciated the cake for its value in
maintaining the condition of their animals and requested the
University to produce and supply them in severe months.
| Table 7: Observation
on the internal organs of slaughtered buffaloes |
|
| Organs |
|
Control |
Cake-fed |
|
| |
Colour |
Normal |
Darker |
| Heart |
Size |
Normal |
Bigger |
| |
Aota |
Normal |
Bigger |
| |
|
|
|
| |
Colour |
Normal |
Lighter |
| Liver |
Size |
Normal |
Developed |
| |
Auricular
lobe |
Normal |
Less
developed |
| |
|
|
|
| |
Colour |
Normal |
Darker |
| Kidney |
Size |
Normal |
Developed |
| |
Thickness |
Normal |
Thicker |
| |
Lobes |
Normal |
Higher
superior |
| |
|
|
lobe &
pointed |
| |
|
|
inferior lobe |
|
The study needs to be continued with experiments in different
seasons and regions on different types of animals, in order to
evaluate more correctly the molasses-urea cake. Their value for
fattening cattle and buffaloes as a supplement to common local
feeds also needs to be determined.
Financial assistance is also essential in establishing an
integrated progamme to promote molasses-urea cake supplementation
in the feeding of cattle and buffaloes to increase food
production.
References
FAO 1992 Tropical Feeds. FAO Tropical
Feeds Database - Version 3.0 (This computerized version of the
original (1972) manuscript by Bo Gohl was produced by Oxford
Computer Journals (Editor: A W Speedy))
Khuyen L T 1988. Trials on supplementing
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Fac. of Ani. Husbandry and Vet. Medicine of Cantho University,
Vietnam.
Kieu L T N 1988. Trials on supplementing
dairy cattle with nitrogen and minerals. Undergraduate thesis.
Fac. of Ani. Husbandry and Vet. Medicine of Cantho University,
Vietnam.
Ngan T H 1988. Trials on supplementing
young cattle with nitrogen and minerals. Thesis. Fac. of Ani.
Husbandry and Vet. Medicine of Cantho University, Vietnam.
Thu N V et al 1987. Breed
characteristics and productivities of local buffaloes in Mekong
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Congress in India Dec. 1988.
(Received 1 Februay 1993)