• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.17 no.6
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• pp.799-807
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• 2004

The objective of this field experiment was to investigate the growth, hay yield and chemical composition of cassava and stylo 184 grown under intercropping. The experiment was arranged in a Randomized Complete Block (RCB) design with 5 treatments and 4 replications. The treatments were: sole crop cassava (C); sole crop stylo 184 (S) and three intercropping treatments comprising an additive series of one (SC), two (SSC) and three (SSSC) rows of stylo 184 to one row of cassava. The results showed that leaf area per plant (LA) of cassava was significantly higher (p<0.05) in the sole crop relative to the intercropping treatments. Both total hay yield and CPDM yield were significantly higher (p<0.05) for C treatment and lower (p<0.05) for SSSC treatment. The total hay yield and CPDM yield were significantly greater (p<0.05) in the sole crop relative to the intercropping treatments. At the first and second harvests, CP content was similar among treatments; while at third and fourth harvests, CP contents were significantly greater (p<0.05) for the intercropping treatment relative to the sole crop. At the first and second harvest, NDF contents were significantly greater (p<0.05) in the sole crop relative to the intercropping treatments, whereas NDF contents were similar among intercropping treatments. Leaf area of stylo 184 at first and second harvest were significantly greater (p<0.05) for C, SC and SSC as compared with the SSSC treatments. At each harvesting, there were no significant differences in ash, CP, NDF, ADF and ADL contents of stylo 184 hay between the sole crop and intercropping treatments, except for the first harvest. ADF contents were significantly greater (p<0.05) in S, SC treatments relative to SSC and SSSC treatments. Both collective hay yield and CPDM yield of cassava and stylo 184 were significantly greater (p<0.05) for the SSC treatment and significantly lower (p<0.05) for the S treatment. Collective hay yield and CPDM yield were significantly greater (p<0.05) for the intercropping treatments relative to the sole crop. Based on this research, it was concluded that stylo 184 showed potential for intercropping with cassava. Intercropping cassava with stylo 184 has beneficial effects and can improve foliage biomass yield and soil fertility, which would be a more sustainable system than growing the cassava as a pure stand. In terms of hay yield and CP production, two rows of stylo 184 to one row of cassava could be the optimal pattern for this intercropping system.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.17 no.5
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• pp.670-677
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• 2004

Sixteen multiparous Holstein-Friesian crossbred cows in mid-lactation were blocked according to days in milk (DIM) and previous lactation and randomly assigned according to a Randomized Complete Block (RCB) design with four replications to receive four dietary treatments. The dietary treatments consisted of T1: No cassava hay (CH) or stylo 184 hay (SH) supplementation, supplementation of concentrate to milk yield at 1:2 (control), T2: Supplementation of 1 kg of CH/hd/d, supplementation of concentrate to milk yield at 1:2, T3: Supplementation of 1 kg of CH+SH/hd/d, supplementation of concentrate to milk yield at 1:2, T4: Supplementation of 2 kg of CH+SH/hd/d, supplementation of concentrate to milk yield at 1:3. All animals received Ruzi grass from a cut-and-carry system as roughage source. The feeding trial lasted for 9 weeks. The results revealed that DMI of concentrate of supplemented treatments were significantly lower (p<0.05) than those in the control, but there was no significant difference between T2 and T3. There was no significant difference in forage DM intake between the control and supplemented treatments. CP and NDF digestibility of supplemented treatments were significantly (p<0.05) greater than the control and there were no significant differences among supplemented treatments. Milk yield and 3.5% FCM (14.3, 14.5, 14.7 and 14.8; 13.9, 14.3, 14.3 and 14.6 kg/hd/d, respectively) were not significantly different among treatments. Milk protein percentage of supplemented treatments was significantly (p<0.05) higher than the control, but there were no significant differences among supplemented treatments. There was no significant difference in milk fat percentage between the control and supplemented treatments. However, milk fat percentage tended to be higher for supplemented animals as compared to the control group. There were also no significant differences in lactose, solids-not-fat and total solids percentages among treatments. Cows in supplemented treatments gave incomes over supplement cost (IOSC) of 2.72, 2.74 and 2.93 US$/hd/d, respectively which were greater than for cows on control treatment. Furthermore, IOSC were greatest for cows in T4 as compared to other treatments. Based on this study it was concluded that, feeding cassava hay solely or in combination with stylo 184 hay as a supplemental protein source could be a potential valuable strategy in small-holder dairy farming systems in the tropics. This strategic supplementation significantly reduced concentrate use, which resulted in improved milk yields and milk quality for the supplemented cows. Moreover, it resulted in higher economical returns through increased productivity and lower ratios of concentrate to milk yield, from 1:2 to 1:3.