Livestock Research for Rural Developement Volume 15

002-2003

Livestock Research for Rural

Development

The international journal for research into

sustainable developing world agriculture

Published by Fundación CIPAV, Cali, Colombia

Volume 15, On-line Edition

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ISSN 0121-3784

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Livestock Research for Rural Development, Volume 15, Number 7, July 2003

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Livestock Research for Rural Development, Volume 15, Number 7, July 2003 ISSN 0121-3784

Contents
Papers:
Some chemical and biological measurements of two contrasting cultivars of Gliricidia sepium
(Jacq) Kunth ex Walp; R Alonso, R M Pedraza, S O Apori and E R Ørskov

Effect of drenching with cooking oil on performance of local “Yellow” cattle fed rice straw and
cassava foliage; Nguyen Thi Hong Nhan, Nguyen Van Hon, Nguyen Trong Ngu, Nguyen Thi
Thu Hong, T R Preston and R A Leng

Studies on utilization of trees and shrubs as the sole feedstuff by growing goats; foliage
preferences and nutrient utilization; Theng Kouch, T R Preston and J Ly

Effects of supplementation of wet brewers’ grains and sugarcane molasses to rice straw on
rumen degradation efficiency; Nguyen Xuan Trach

Pastoralists’ perception of livestock production systems and opportunities for improvement in

Southwestern Marsabit, Kenya; J C Njanja, J M Gathuma, G K Gitau, F M Njeruh and R N
Kinuthia

Effect of retention time on gas production and fertilizer value of biodigester effluent; San Thy, T
R Preston and J Ly

The use of ensiled cassava leaves in diets for growing pigs. 1. The effect of graded levels of
palm oil on N digestibility and N balance; Chhay Ty, T R Preston and J Ly

Short communications
Preliminary research results on application of a local medicinal herb (Achyranthes aspera) as
dietary supplement to sows to prevent diarrhea in piglets; Pham Hong Son, Pham Quang Trung,
Tran Quang Vui and Dinh Thi Bich Lan

Administrative
LRRD News

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Effect of drenching with cooking oil on performance of local “Yellow” cattle fed rice straw and cassava foliage

Livestock Research for Rural Development 15 (7) 2003 Citation of this paper

Effect of drenching with cooking oil on performance of

local “Yellow” cattle fed rice straw and cassava foliage
Nguyen Thi Hong Nhan, Nguyen Van Hon, Nguyen Trong Ngu, Nguyen
Thi Thu Hong*, T R Preston** and R A Leng***
Cantho University, Cantho, Vietnam
nthnhan@ctu.edu.vn
*An Giang University, An Giang
** regpreston@utafoundation.org
*** rleng@ozemail.com.au

Abstract

The experiment was carried out at a cooperative farm with 20 female cattle of the local “Yellow” breed, divided
into 10 groups (pens) with 2 animals in each (5 replicates per treatment). The treatments were administration of
an oil drench (groundnut oil) or no oil drench. The basal diet was: Urea-sprayed rice straw (2% urea) offered ad
libitum + fresh cassava leaves (3 kg/day). The experiment lasted 90 days. The groundnut oil drench (5 ml / 1 kg
live weight) was given once at the beginning of the trial. The cattle were weighed (average of two daily
consecutive weighings) at the beginning, and after 45 and 90 days. Samples of rumen fluid were taken by
stomach tube before eating in the morning, on the day before oil treatment, and after 45 and 90 days, for
counting of protozoa and determination of rumen ammonia and pH.

Growth rates were 28% higher (234 g/day) for cattle given the oil drench compared with the control (183
g/day). After 45 days the rumen protozoa numbers and rumen ammonia concentrations were depressed in cattle
given the oil drench compared with the control animals (0.272*105/ml vs 0.40*105/ml) and (116 vs 133
mg/litre), respectively.

Key words: Cassava leaves, cattle, drench, growth, oil, rice straw, urea

Introduction

Eliminating the protozoa from the rumen of cattle and sheep has been shown to improve
growth rates, as the bacterial population increases and the microbial protein flow from the
rumen is increased when the protozoa are absent (Leng 1989). The early procedures for
eliminating the protozoa required dosing the animals with a chemical surfactant, and was a
difficult procedure which often resulted in the death of the animals, thus there was little
impact of the technology at farmer level. Recently, it was observed by scientists in Central
Vietnam, that oral administration of a single dose of groundnut oil was regularly used by
farmers in the area as their experience was that this resulted in better performance of their
animals. These observations were followed up by Nguyen Thi Hong Nhan and co-workers
(2001) who showed that the effect of the oil drench was to kill the rumen protozoa and that
the treated animals subsequently grew faster with better feed conversion. These findings
were confirmed by Seng Mom et al (2001) in a trial in Cambodia in which local cattle fed
rice straw, a rumen supplement (urea and minerals) and fresh cassava foliage, grew faster
after being dosed with standard cooking oil purchased in the local market. These
researchers also showed that the effect of the oil was mainly against the large protozoa

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Effect of drenching with cooking oil on performance of local “Yellow” cattle fed rice straw and cassava foliage

(Holotrich and Dasytrich spp), and because these organisms have a half life of over 120
days (Leng 1989), there was a considerable delay before they were re-established in the
rumen. By contrast, the smaller protozoa (mainly Entodinia spp) were quickly
re-established (half-life of less than 20 days; Leng 1989), and returned to normal levels
within about one month of the oil treatment. It was hypothesised that, as the small
protozoa occupied less space in the rumen than the large protozoa, the beneficial effects of
higher bacterial population would be maintained (Seng Mom et al 2001).

The research to be reported in this paper aimed to demonstrate at farmer level the
advantages of the oil treatment in local cattle fed on rice straw as the basal diet.

Materials and methods

Experimental design

The experiment was carried out at a cooperative farm in An Giang province. Twenty
female cattle of the local ("Yellow") breed (average initial weight 82 kg) were selected and
allocated at random into 10 pens (Photo 1) each with 2 animals, to give 5 replications of
the two treatments which were:

C: Urea-sprayed rice straw (2% urea) offered ad libitum + fresh cassava leaves (3
kg/day)

GO: The same as "C" but the animals were dosed with groundnut oil (5ml/kg live
weight) at the beginning of the trial.

The experiment lasted 90 days.

Photo 1. Local "Yellow" cattle consuming fresh cassava

leaves

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Effect of drenching with cooking oil on performance of local “Yellow” cattle fed rice straw and cassava foliage

Feeding system

Urea was sprayed on the rice straw (2 kg urea dissolved in 50 litres water and sprayed onto
100 kg rice straw) using a watering can immediately before it was offered to the animals.
The sprayed straw was supplied at approximately 50% more than the recorded intakes.
Cassava leaves (including petioles) were harvested from the lower parts of cassava plants
on nearby farms, that had been planted for root production (the farmers considered that this
procedure did not affect the subsequent root yield). The leaves were fed fresh immediately
after they were harvested at a fixed level of 3 kg/animal/day. The groundnut oil was
purchased in the local market. I t was administered to the animals after an over-night fast,
using a bamboo tube as a "dosing" bottle (Photo 2 ).

Photo 3: Taking the rumen samples with a stomach

Photo 2: Administering the groundnut oil
tube and vacuum pump

Measurements

Intakes were recorded separately of the straw and the cassava leaves. The cattle were
weighed on two consecutive days at the beginning, after 45 days and after 90 days.
Samples (about 100 ml) of rumen fluid was taken with a stomach tube using a vacuum
pump) in the morning before eating (Photo 3), on the day before oil treatment, and after 45
and 90 days, for counting of protozoa and determination of rumen ammonia and pH. pH
was determined immediately with a portable digital meter. Samples of the rumen fluid
were put into an ice-box to transport them to the College of Agriculture in Cantho
University. Part of the sample was distilled directly for determination of ammonia.
Another portion of the sample was treated with methylene blue to stain the protozoa which
were counted in a Malasser cell (0.2mm chamber), under a microscope at 10X
magnification. DM and N in feed samples and ammonia in rumen fluid were determined
according to AOAC (1990) procedures.

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Effect of drenching with cooking oil on performance of local “Yellow” cattle fed rice straw and cassava foliage

Results and discussion

Intake of rice straw and cassava leaves was depressed during the first 45 days following
drenching with groundnut oil (Table 1). From 46 to 90 days, intakes of rice straw were the
same on both treatments, but continued to be lower for the cassava leaves in the cattle
dosed with the oil. Overall from 0 to 90 days, intakes of rice straw tended to be lower
(P=0.12) for cattle dosed with oil and were significantly lower for the cassava leaves. The
reduced intake of straw and cassava leaves in the 45 days immediately following oil
administration is presumed to be due to the disturbance of the rumen ecosystem caused by
the high dose of oil. A similar depression of feed intake following oil treatment was also
noted by Nguyen Thi Hong Nhan et al (2001). There were no apparent toxic effects from
feeding fresh leaves of cassava which agrees with the experiences of Seng Mom et al
(2001) with cattle, and Seng Sokerya and Rodríguez (2001) and Theng Kouch et al 2003)
with goats.

Growth rates did not differ during the first 45 days after oil treatment but were higher in
the 46 to 90 day period and in the overall 90 days of the trial, for the cattle dosed with oil
(Figure 1). These findings are similar to those reported by Nguyen Thi Hong Nhan et al
(2001) and Seng Mom et al (2001).

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Effect of drenching with cooking oil on performance of local “Yellow” cattle fed rice straw and cassava foliage

Figure 1: Effect of a drench of groundnut oil on the growth rates of local "Yellow" cattle
fed rice straw and cassava leaves

Oil treatment had no effect on rumen pH, but depressed ammonia levels and the protozoal
population after 45 days with tendencies for values to remain lower at 90 days (Table 2;
Figures 2 and 3). These findings are similar to those reported by Nguyen Thi Hong Nhan
et al (2000) and Seng Mom et al (2001), using diets based on untreated rice straw and a
similar drench with vegetable oil.

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Effect of drenching with cooking oil on performance of local “Yellow” cattle fed rice straw and cassava foliage

Figure 2. Effect of a drench of groundnut oil on the rumen ammonia concentrations in local "Yellow" cattle
fed rice straw and cassava leaves

Figure 3. Effect of a drench of groundnut oil on the protozoal populations in the rumen of local "Yellow" cattle
fed rice straw and cassava leaves

Conclusions

A single dose of groundnut oil (5 ml/kg live weight) to local "Yellow" cattle fed
urea-sprayed rice straw and fresh cassava leaves increased the growth rate by 28%.
Rumen protozoal populations and rumen ammonia levels were depressed after oil
treatment.

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Effect of drenching with cooking oil on performance of local “Yellow” cattle fed rice straw and cassava foliage

Acknowledgements

This research was supported by a grant from the MEKARN Regional Project, financed by
SidaSAREC of Sweden. The authors are grateful to the farmers cooperative in An Giang
province who provided the facilities and assisted in the conduct of the trial.

References

AOAC 1990 Official Methods of Analysis 13th Edition. Association of Official Analytical Chemists,
Washington DC

Leng R A 1989 Dynamics of protozoa in the rumen. In J V Nolan, R A Leng and D I Demeyer (eds ).
The roles of protozoa and fungi in ruminant digestion. Proceeding of an international seminar held at the
University of New England, Armidale, Australia. pp 51-57

Nguyen Thi Hong Nhan, Nguyen Van Hon, Ngu N T, Von N T, Preston T R and Leng R A
2001 Practical Application of Defaunation of Cattle on Farms in Vietnam: Response of Young Cattle Fed
Rice Straw and Grass to a Single Drench of Groundnut oil. Asian-Aust. Journal Animal Science Vol. 14,
No.4: 485-490.

Seng Mom, Preston T R and Leng R A 2001 Response of young cattle fed rice straw to supplementation with
cassava foliage and a single drench of cooking oil. Livestock Research for Rural Development (13) 4:
http://www.cipav.org.co/lrrd/lrrd13/4/seng134.htm

Received 28 March; accepted 30 July 2003

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