Digestibility and metabolizable energy intake equations of tropical ruminant forages using nutrient concentration of cattle faeces. Mazingira Center, International Livestock Research Institute, Nairobi, Kenya, September

Abstract

smallholders use feeds of unknown or highly variable nutritive value undermining proper nutrition determination of feed intake and accurate nutritive value in grazing animals is resource-intensive faecal collection and analysis is relatively easy n vivo studies with Friesian and/or Boran steers (n = 42): a. Protein-deficit: wheat only and with daily or bi-daily Calliandra calothyrsus supplementation b. Energy-deficit: Chloris gayana at 40%, 60%, 80% and 100% of maintenance energy requirement c. Balanced: tropical grasses (Pennisetum purpureum, Brachiaria brizantha, C. gayana) planted alone or wih Lablab purpureus intercrop determination of feed and faecal proximate nutrient, fibre and energy concentration, DMD, DOMD and MEI faecal nutrient concentrations from a. and b. regressed against diet DMD, DOMD and MEI; c. for validation dataset equations were evaluated using root mean square prediction error (RMSE) and mean error (PE) prediction equations of feed nutritive value based on faecal nutrient concentration would be fast, cheap and routine