Buletin Nutrisi dan Makanan Ternak, Vol 6, No 2 (2007)

Font Size:  Small  Medium  Large

RUMEN FERMENTATION PATTERN OF SHEEP FED ON FABA BEANS SUPPLEMENTS WITH DIFFERENT FEEDING FREQUENCIES

Asmuddin Natsir

Abstract


An experiment was conducted to investigate effects different frequency feeding of faba beans supplements on rumen fermentation pattern of sheep. Four wethers with existing rumen cannula, average body weight 85 ± 5.5 kg, were used this study. A combination (85%:15%) of oaten and lucerne chaff was given to the animal as the basal diet throughout the study. Faba beans (FB) were used as a supplement at the rate of approximately 0.5% of live body weight. The experiment was conducted according to latin square design 4 x 4. Each period was lasted for 20 days. In every period, each animal received one of four treatments, namely T0 = basal diet without supplement, T1 = T0 + FB given once per day, T2 = T0 + FB divided into two equal portion and given in the morning and in the afternoon, and T3 = T0 + FB divided into 8 equal portions and delivered every three hours. Statistical analysis indicated that treatment did not affect rumen pH, averaging 6.36, 6.05, 6.15, and 6.10 for treatment T0, T1, T2, and T3, respectively. FB supplement improved (P < 0.05) rumen NH3 and rumen VFA. The average rumen NH3 for treatment T0, T1, T2, and T3 was 162.40, 264.45, 301.75, 293.00 mg/l, respectively, while VFA means for each treatment was 65.81, 86.00, 77.63, and 86.76 mmols/l. In conclusion, provision of FB supplements significantly improve rumen fermentation pattern in terms of higher rumen NH3 and rumen VFA without significantly affect rumen pH.

Full Text: PDF