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In the first of two experiments, chemical composition (Ash, CP and CF contents), nutritive value (in vitro organic matter disappearance `IVOMD` and energy content `ME`) and nitrogen retention of chopped date fronds (CDF) as affected by chemical treatment (CT) and storage duration (SD) were investigated. The experimental design was a completely randomized block, arranged in a 3횞4 factorial, with 3 (CT) and 4(SD) as the main factors using 2 replications/treatment. Three chemical treatments, were used : control (Wite zero or no chemical treatment); treatment with 4% urea solution (w/w) and treatment with 4% urea + Date syrup extract (DS). The 4 (SD) were: control (immediately after opening-without any storage or zero time storage); one month storage period; two months storage period and three months storage period. Both (CT) and (SD) had significant effects (p < 0.05) on CP and ash contents of the CDF, however there were no significant effects (p > 0.05) due to (CT) and (SD) on CF and nutritive value. High retention value (>80%) for nitrogen was reported for the treated CDF, immediately after opening the incuated material (zero SD). However, nitrogen retention decreased with increasing (SD) to 67% after one month (SD) but tended to stay at a fairly constant level of 67% until 3 months of storage. In experiment 2, the feeding value of treated CDF was evaluated in comparison to Rhodes grass hay, using growing goats and sheep. A 4횞2 factorial design was used (Four roughage sources were used : Rhodes grass hay, untreated CDF, urea-treated CDF and CDF treated with urea +DS with sheep and goats as two animal species, using three animals/ treatment). Untreated CDF had a similar feeding value to Rhodes grass hay. However treatment of CDF with urea alone or with urea + DS depressed animal performance of both goats and sheep, apparently due to depression of feed intake (appetite). Feeding untreated CDF decreased feeding cost by 29% and cost/kg gain by 23%. CDF showed a good potential as a cheap local roughage and emergency feed for ruminants in th Sultanate. |
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