Physiochemical and Nutritional Evaluation of Intercropping Whole Plant Faba Bean (Vicia faba cv. CDC Snowbird) with Whole Plant Oat (Avena sativa L. cv. CDC Haymaker) as Hay and Silage for Ruminants: Effects of the Maturity Stage at Harvesting and Effects of Adding Fibrolytic Enzyme from Trichoderma Reesei
Date
2024-03-27
Authors
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Journal ISSN
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Publisher
ORCID
Type
Thesis
Degree Level
Masters
Abstract
The objectives of this research were to systematically evaluate the nutritional value of intercropping whole plant faba bean (Vicia faba cv. CDC Snowbird) and whole plant oat (Avena sativa L. cv. CDC Haymaker) as hay and silage for ruminants. In the first study, the effects of the maturity stage at harvest on the detailed nutritional values of intercropping as hay in ruminants was determined. In the second study, the effects of the maturity stage at harvest on the nutritional values of intercropping as silage in ruminants was conducted. In the third study, the effects of dosage level of fibrolytic enzyme derived from Trichoderma reesei on rumen degradation characteristics and degradability of fibres in intercropping silage were measured. The intercrop was grown in three fields without fertilizer in irrigation areas and harvested at three growth stages: The results indicated that maturity stage 3 with the faba in late pod stage and oat in soft dough stage was the most suitable maturity stage as the whole plant faba-oat as hay or silage showed a relatively greater yield, TDN, MP, and the estimated production performance (FMV) among the three maturity stages. The fibrotic enzyme study showed that there were synergistic interaction effects between dosage levels and incubation time on the degradability of dry matter (DDM) and fiber (DNDF, DADF). The dosage level at 0.3 mL/L resulted the highest DDM at both short (6h) and long (48h) incubation time. Further study is needed on animal production performance and metabolic characteristics of lactating dairy cows when fed this intercropped whole plant faba-oat silage in comparison with conventional barley and corn silage.
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Keywords
Intercropping faba bean and oat, Hay, maturity stage, Dairy cattle, Beef cattle, Degradation, Digestion, Rumen N and energy synchronization, Predicted Performance.
Citation
Degree
Master of Science (M.Sc.)
Department
Animal and Poultry Science
Program
Animal Science