Supplementation of Cassava and Phaseolus calcaratus Hay to Replace Concentrate in The Diet of Male Calve

Abstract

An experiment was conducted to determine effects of supplementation of cassava and Phaseolus calcaratus hay to replace concentrate in the diet on performance of male calves. A experimental mixture was made of 75% of cassava and 25% of Phaseolus calcaratus hay. Twelve Holstein Friesian x lai Sind crossbred male calves of the same age and weight were divided into 3 groups. The control group was fed a traditional concentrate, the two experimental groups were fed the traditional diet in which the concentrate was replcaed with 30 or 60% of the cassava and Phaseolus calcaratus hay mixture. Results showed that the mixture made of cassava and Phaseolus calcaratus hay had relatively high protein level (200.5 g/kg  DM). Use of cassava and Phaseolus calcaratus hay to replace the traditional concentrate had no negative effects on DM intake (P>0.05) and improved weight gain of the calves in comparison with the control (P<0.05). The weight gain of the groups fed the diet with 60% and 30% concentrate replcaed and of the control was 545, 510, and 446 g/head/day, respectively. The feed conversion ratio was better with the groups fed replaced diets (P<0.05). Replacement of 60% and 30%  concentrate with the mixture saved 5,288.48 - 3,443.45 VND/kg of weight gain in comparison with the control (P<0.05)