Welcome to Chinese Agricultural Science Bulletin,

Chinese Agricultural Science Bulletin ›› 2019, Vol. 35 ›› Issue (8): 97-101.doi: 10.11924/j.issn.1000-6850.casb18110135

Special Issue: 畜牧兽医

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Beef Cattle Fattening Efficiency of Banana Stems and Leaves Silage

  

  • Received:2018-11-30 Revised:2018-12-18 Accepted:2018-12-25 Online:2019-03-15 Published:2019-03-15

Abstract: The feeding effect is an important index to evaluate the application and popularization of forage. Banana stems and leaves silage is a new kind of unconventional forage resource. Compared with conventional forage, the feeding efficiency of banana stems and leaves were determined to provide a basis for production and application. In this paper, 18 to 24 months fattening beef cattle were selected in different breeding cattle farms, the effects of banana stems and leaves silage on fattening beef cattle were studied, and the weight gain efficiency comparisons of banana stems and leaves silage and sugarcane slight leaf silage, corn straw fresh grass, corn straw silage, bamboo straw fresh grass, whole plant corn silage with bud were conducted for two consecutive years. The beef cattle were weighed before feeding and 30, 60, 90 and 120 days after feeding. The fattening efficiency of banana stems and leaves silage on beef cattle was evaluated by the daily gain of cattle. The results showed that the effect of banana stems and leaves silage on fattening and weight gain of Western hybrid cattle was significantly higher than that on local yellow cattle. The daily weight gain of Western hybrid cattle was 0.92-1.26 kg per head and that of local yellow cattle was 0.41-0.59 kg per head. Compared with other kinds of forage, the daily weight gain of banana stems and leaves silage was lower than that of whole corn silage only in 30 days by 0.106 kg per head (P>0.05), and similar to that of straw silage and sugarcane slight leaf silage (P>0.05), slightly higher than that of corn straw fresh feed and bamboo straw fresh feed (P>0.05). The banana stems and leaves silage can substitute conventional forages like corn plant, sugarcane slightly leaf and bamboo grass, and be widely used in beef cattle breeding.