| Penulis/Author |
Prof. Dr. Ir. Ali Agus, DAA., DEA., IPU., ASEAN Eng. (1) ; Dr. Moh. Sofi'ul Anam, S.Pt., M.Sc. (2); Ir. Cuk Tri Noviandi, S.Pt., M.Anim.St., Ph.D., IPM., ASEAN Eng. (3); Ir. Andriyani Astuti, S.Pt., M.Sc., Ph.D., IPM., ASEAN Eng. (4); Dimas Hand Vidya Paradhipta, S.Pt., M.Sc., Ph.D. (5) |
| Abstrak/Abstract |
In Indonesia, feed ingredients generally come from agricultural by-products, which are low in protein and high in crude fiber. Changes in nutritional content for animals are typically directed at improving animal performance by increasing the availability and efficiency of using higher nutrients in energy, protein, and other essential nutrients. A high-quality feed supplement (HQFS) has been recommended for the calves' feed. HQFS was formulated from high-quality feed ingredients to reach around 20% crude protein and 78% total digestible nutrients, completed with macro-micro minerals. Therefore, the objective of this study was to examine the effect of HQFS inclusion and sex on the growth performance of Brahman crossbred cattle. Sixteen (16) steers and sixteen (16) heifers of Brahman crossbred cattle were used in this study. The animals were placed in 2 × 2 factorial arrangement to study the effects of dietary supplementation (Diet): basal diet only, basal diet + 20% HQFS) and sex ((Sex): steer, heifer) on cattle nutrient intake and growth performance. The basal diet consisted of 27.87% forage + 72.13% commercial concentrate. Animals were housed in individual pens for 61 days. Total live weight gain (TLWG) was calculated as TLWG = final live weight (kg) – initial live weight (kg). The average daily gain (ADG) was determined by dividing the gain by the fattening periods. The feed conversion ratio (FCR) was calculated as FCR = feed intake (kg DM)/weight gain (kg). The feed cost of gain was an economic evaluation calculated by the difference between feed cost and weight gain in the Indonesian rupiah (IDR). The daily feed offered and its refusals were weighed daily to calculate the nutrient intake. A proximate analysis of feed samples was conducted to determine the nutrient composition. All evaluated parameters were analyzed using Proc GLM of SPPS software, adopting P < 0.05 for a statistically significant difference. The result showed that HQFS supplementation significantly increased (P < 0.05) the crude protein intake (0.99 vs 0.72 kg/day) and decreased the crude fiber intake (1.50 vs 2.11 kg/day). For the growth performance, HQFS supplementation significantly increased (P < 0.05) the final live weight (380.63 vs 359.00 kg), TLWG (61.54 vs 34.67 kg), and ADG (1.01 vs 0.57 kg/day). The HQFS group had a lower FCR (7.85 vs 15.44 kg DMI/day) and feed cost of gain (2.77 vs 4.25 ×10 000 IDR/kg) compared to the CON group (P < 0.05). Sex only affected ADG, which steer had a greater ADG than the heifer (0.87 vs 0.71 kg/day) (P < 0.05). However, there was no significant interaction between dietary treatment and sex for nutrient intake and growth performance of Brahman crossbred cattle. This research concludes that HQFS supplementation could improve the growth performance of Brahman crossbred cattle.
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