Abstract

SOLIS, C.  and  RUILOBA, M. H.. Evaluation of different levels of integral silage of sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas) as energetic source for growing cattle. Cuban J. Agric. Sci. [online]. 2017, vol.51, n.1, pp.35-46. ISSN 0864-0408.

In order to evaluate different levels of integral sweet potato silage, as energy source for growing cattle, four substitution levels of ground maize grain by silage on dry basis (0, 33, 75 and 100 %) in iso-energetic rations (10.8 MJ ME kg^-1, dry matter) and iso-protein (12.1 % crude protein, dry basis) were studied. A completely randomized design with factorial arrangement (4 x 2) and four animals per treatment was used. There was no effect of the substitution on live weight gain: 1.467, 1.351, 1.430 and 1.345 kg animal d^-1 for 0, 33, 75 and 100% substitution (P ≥ 0.05).The dry matter intake decreased from 2.70 to 2.28 kg DM/100 kg live weight d^-1 when increasing the substitution level from 0 to 100%. This affected the crude protein and metabolizable energy intake. The apparent digestibility of the dry matter decreased with the substitution (P ≤ 0.0127, 74.92, 69.83, 70.67 and 70.36%), which reduced the metabolizable energy intake (30.46 to 24.39 MJ/100 kg of live weight d^-1). The substitution level did not affect feed conversion (P> 0.05, 5.74 kg DM / kg live weight gain), but linearly decreased the feeding cost. It is concluded that the integral sweet potato silage did not affect the live weight gain and feed conversion, and decreased by 46 % the feeding cost, when replacing 100% of the ground corn kernel

Keywords : sweet potato silage; substitution level; kernel maize; weight gain; feeding cost.

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