Articles
Effects of supplementing lactating Somali camels with Opuntia stricta and cottonseed cake on feed intake, milk yield, and milk composition
Article number
1343_24
Pages
171 – 180
Language
English
Abstract
Opuntia has been used as forage feed for livestock during dry seasons.
In Kenya, Opuntia has invaded arid and semi-arid lands conservation areas, rangelands and cultivation areas covering hundreds of acres of land as a noxious weed with negative environmental impacts.
The study was therefore conducted to determine the effects of supplementing lactating Somali camels with Opuntia stricta and cottonseed cake on feed intake and milk yield.
Eight Somali lactating camels were selected and fed for 84 days using 4×4 Latin square design replicated twice, one square for each cladode growth stage (young and mature) to determine the effects of supplementing lactating grazing camels with Opuntia stricta and cottonseed cake on milk yield and milk composition.
The supplements were offered to camels after grazing in the range for 4 h.
The four treatments were: grazing only (control); grazing supplemented with Opuntia stricta only; grazing supplemented with Opuntia stricta plus cottonseed cake; grazing supplemented with cottonseed cake only.
The young cladodes, mature cladodes, and cottonseed cake were analyzed for their chemical composition, fiber fractions and in vitro digestibility.
The feed intake was determined, the dry matter and crude protein intake were monitored.
The milk yield was determined using a digital weighing balance and milk composition using the Lacto scan milk analyzer system.
The young cladodes had greater crude protein (15.8%), ether extract (2.5%), calcium (2.4%) and phosphorus (0.4%) concentrations than the mature cladodes (4.4, 1.6, 1.7, and 0.2%, respectively), on a dry matter basis.
There was no difference in daily dry matter intake between camels fed on the different supplemental diets (P>0.05). The milk yield and milk composition were not affected by the treatments.
The study concluded that young cladodes were nutritionally superior to the mature cladodes.
Supplementation of both the young and mature cladodes are recommended to counteract the nutritional difference.
In Kenya, Opuntia has invaded arid and semi-arid lands conservation areas, rangelands and cultivation areas covering hundreds of acres of land as a noxious weed with negative environmental impacts.
The study was therefore conducted to determine the effects of supplementing lactating Somali camels with Opuntia stricta and cottonseed cake on feed intake and milk yield.
Eight Somali lactating camels were selected and fed for 84 days using 4×4 Latin square design replicated twice, one square for each cladode growth stage (young and mature) to determine the effects of supplementing lactating grazing camels with Opuntia stricta and cottonseed cake on milk yield and milk composition.
The supplements were offered to camels after grazing in the range for 4 h.
The four treatments were: grazing only (control); grazing supplemented with Opuntia stricta only; grazing supplemented with Opuntia stricta plus cottonseed cake; grazing supplemented with cottonseed cake only.
The young cladodes, mature cladodes, and cottonseed cake were analyzed for their chemical composition, fiber fractions and in vitro digestibility.
The feed intake was determined, the dry matter and crude protein intake were monitored.
The milk yield was determined using a digital weighing balance and milk composition using the Lacto scan milk analyzer system.
The young cladodes had greater crude protein (15.8%), ether extract (2.5%), calcium (2.4%) and phosphorus (0.4%) concentrations than the mature cladodes (4.4, 1.6, 1.7, and 0.2%, respectively), on a dry matter basis.
There was no difference in daily dry matter intake between camels fed on the different supplemental diets (P>0.05). The milk yield and milk composition were not affected by the treatments.
The study concluded that young cladodes were nutritionally superior to the mature cladodes.
Supplementation of both the young and mature cladodes are recommended to counteract the nutritional difference.
Publication
Authors
L.W. Ikanya, J.G. Maina, C.K. Gachuiri, W.O. Owino, J.C.B. Dubeux
Keywords
cottonseed cake, chemical composition, in vitro digestibility, lactating camels
Groups involved
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