NUTRITIONAL PROPERTIES OF SEVERAL SEAWEEDS SPECIES FOR DAIRY CATTLE

Abstract

An effort to improve dairy cattle feed security by finding new feedstuffs have been done through a serial study. Five types of seaweeds (Sargassum, Gracilaria, Gelidium, E. cottoni and giant E. cottoni) have been evaluate for their nutritional properties as dairy cattle feedstuffs. The properties observed included proximate compositions (DM, Ash, CP, Lipid, CF and NFE), mineral (Ca and P) contents, fermentability (VFA and NH3), gas production (GB) and digestibility (DMD and OMD). The results showed that all the seaweeds species observed contained high proportion of ash (21.9 – 54.4%), contained CP similar to Napier grass except for giant E.cottoni which was slightly lower than Napier grass. All species observed categorized as highly fermentable and digested feedstuffs. Based on their nutritional properties, it is concluded all seaweeds observed have potential as dairy cattle feedstuffs with their ash contents as limiting factor for their inclusion in dairy ration.