Supplementation of malate and yeast in concentrate containing high cassava chip on rumen ecology in dairy steers

Abstract

Four, one-year old of dairy steers were randomly assigned according to a 2×2 Factorial arrangement in a 4×4 Latin square design to study supplementation of malate level at 500 vs 1,000 g with yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) at 1,000 vs 2,000 g in concentrate containing high levels of cassava chip. The treatments were as follows: T1 = supplementation of malate at 500 g with yeast at 1,000 g; T2 = supplementation of malate at 500 g with yeast at 2,000 g; T3 = supplementation of malate at 1,000 g with yeast at 1,000 g; T4 = supplementation of malate at 1,000 g with yeast at 2,000 g in concentrate, respectively. The animals were offered the treatment concentrate at 1% BW and ruzi grass was fed ad libitum. The results have revealed that rumen fermentation and blood metabolites were similar for all treatments. The populations of protozoa and fungal zoospores were significantly different as affected by malate level and yeast. In conclusion, the combined use of concentrate containing high level of cassava chip at 70%DM with malate at 1,000 g and yeast at 2,000 g in concentrate with ruzi grass as a roughage could improved rumen ecology in dairy steers. © Asian Network for Scientific Information, 2009.