Bodee Khamseekhiew, Juan Boo Liang, Zainal Aznam Jelan, and Choi Chee Wong

pp. 209 - 216

Abstract

An experiment was conducted to evaluate the effect of different levels of Arachis pintoi (AP) supplementation on rumen environment [(rumen pH, ruminal ammonia nitrogen (NH₃N) and volatile fatty acids
(VFAs) concentration)] and degradability of oil palm frond (OPF). Three Kedah-Kelantan (KK) cattle of
about 2 ½ years of age with an average body weight (BW)173±17.2 kg, each fitted with a ruminal cannula,
were used. The cattle were kept in individual pens and fed the treatment diets at 1.5% of BW. The diets
comprised the following four OPF:AP ratios; 80:20 (L20), 70:30 (L30), 60:40 (L40), 50:50 (L50) in a 4 × 4
incomplete Latin Square Design. The DM an NDF degradation rates of OPF were significantly affected by
AP supplementation. Ruminal pH was not significantly different (p>0.05) among the four different diets.
The concentration of NH₃N was significantly (p<0.05) higher in cattle fed L50 than those in L40, L30 and
L20. Similarly, increasing levels of AP supplementation significantly increased the total VFAs concentration from 59.9 mmol/L for L20 to 69.2 mmol/L for L50. It is suggested that AP can be used as a protein
supplement to improve fibre degradability of OPF in cattle.