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Table 6. Nutritional composition and degradability ol concentrates fed in intensive feeding systems In
Kenya. 1,2
CP IDF Ash DM
Concentrate g/kg DI ---- degradabillty
(%)
Cottonseed cake 311.0 207.0 59.0 67.4
Sunfiowerssed cake 336.0 288.0 57.0 63.9
Wheat bran 172.0 134.0 79.0 69.6
Dairy meal 165.0 114.0 59.5 83.2
Crushed maize + dalry 164.3 152.2 61.3 77.7
meal +wheat bran
1. Abate and Kifewahid (1991).
2. Abate and Abate (1991).
Animal responses to intensive produces a growth reoponse of about 0.5 kg/day.
feeding Mature Napier grass containing 4% CP can meet
only the maintenance requirer.ents of crossbred
Quantitative data on the effects of intensive heifers (KARI, 1985) (Table 7). 'b achieve weight
feeding on animal performance are scanty, par- gains of about 0.5 kg a day would require
ticularly with respect to dairy cattle. However, supplementation with about 3 kg of concentrate
the few experiments documented shcw that the per animal a day (Table 7).
potential exists for combining various feed With lactating cows, DM intake of fresh
resources to increase growth and milk pro- Nith mina is reh
duction. ndeed, Abate and Kiflewahid (1992) Napier grass mixed with minerals is quite high,
have, on the basis ofdegradation characteristics, implying that the forage is acceptable to cattle.
identified possible combinations of feeds for use Ware-Austin (1963) noted that Napier grass is
in dairy rations, persistent, productive and capable of supporting
Data presented in Table 7show that the effect milk production in Ayrshire and Jersey animals
of Napier grass on the growth of purebred and at a level higher than could be obtained from
crossbred heifers is variable. When the quality sown pastures.
of the Napier grass is medium to high (CP levels In trials in Kenya, intake and milk production
of about 12%) crossbred heifers initially levels were comparable to those from green
weighing about 170 kg can grow at 400 g/day on maize when Napier grass was supplemented
fresh Napier grass fed ad libitum. Supplement- with 2.0 kg of concentrate (Table 8). Friesian
ing with about 1 kg of a maize grain concentrate cows seemed to respond better to Napier grass
Table 7. Dry-matterIntake and performance of dairy animals fed Napier-grass-based diets in intensive
feeding systems in Kenya
Basal diet Supplement
Total
DM
Intake
(kg/day) Animals
Growth
rate
g/day Source
Napier grass - 8 wk None 3.0 Jersey heifers 361 Odhlambo (1974)
Napiergrass- 10wk None 3.4 Jersey heifers 409 Odhiambo (1974)
Napiergrass- 12 wk None 3.2 Jersey heifers 348 Odhiambo (1974)
Napier grass Pineapple waste 4.5 Ayrshire/Friesian
steers
667 KARl (1990)
Napier grass
Napier grass
None
0.5% BW
8.3*
°
8.5
Crossbred heifers
Crossbred heifers
400
511
KARl (1983)
KARl (1983)
Napier grass maize grain
Napier grass None 5.0" Crossbred heifers 10 KARl (1985)
Napier grass 1.3 kg maize flour 5.7* Crossbred heifers 210 KARl (1985)
Napier grass 2.6 kg maize flour 6.5* Crossbred heifers 480 KARl (1985)
* Calculated by authors.
BW =Brewers waste.
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