Optimizing Vitamin-Mineral Supplementation in King Grass-Based Rations to Maximize Productivity of Bali Cattle

Abstract

Bali cattle have a great potency to supply national meat demand which is increasing progressively every year. The main constrain in Bali cattle farming is the deficiency of trace minerals on native grass resulting in low Bali cattle productivity. The present study was done to determine the optimum vitamin-mineral supplementation in King grass-based rations to maximize productivity of Bali cattle steers. Randomized Complete Block Design used in this study consisted of four treatments and five groups based on differences in live weight cattle. Treatments consisted of: S0 = concentrate as much as 5 kg + King grass given ad libitum, S1, S2, and S3 = S0 successively added 0.1%, 0.2% and 0.3% vitamin-mineral in concentrate. Variables observed were nutrients intake, deposition of nutrients, energy retention, live weight gain of the animals, and feed efficiencies. The data were analyzed by analysis was of variance, and regression analysis used to predict the optimal level of supplementation. Results showed that vitamin-mineral supplementation significantly (P <0.05) affected all the observed variables. Supplementation levels of 0.2 to 0.3% can reduce the consumption of nutrients, but supplementation levels of 0.1 to 0.3% increased deposition of nutrients, energy retention, feed efficiency, and increased a live weight gain of Bali cattle steer up to 14% (0.58 vs. 0.66 kg/ day) compared to those cattle without supplements. It is concluded that vitamin-mineral supplementation of 0.1 to 0.3% in ration based on King grass can increase deposition of nutrients, energy retention, feed efficiency, and live weigh gain of Bali cattle steers. Based on regression analysis, it is obtained that the optimum level of vitamin-minerals supplementation in concentrate was 0.16% which can produce maximum live weight gain of Bali cattle steer fed King grass-based rations.