RUMINAL VOLATILE FATTY ACIDS, TOTAL SUGARS, MILK YIELD AND QUALITY OF DAIRY COWS FED WATER HYACINTH [Eichhornia crassipes (Mart.) Solms] and BANANA (Musa sp.) PSEUDOSTEM

Abstract

Ruminally cannulated Holstein Friesian x Sahiwal dairy cows were fed diets containing Napier grass (NG), 40% water hyacinth (WH) and 40% banana pseudostem (BP) following a 3x3 Latin Square Design. Rumen fluid samples collected after feeding were analyzed for volatile fatty acids and total sugars using gas chromatography and phenol-sulfuric acid methods, respectively. Average daily milk yield and quality (crude fat, crude protein, total solids) were determined. Results showed that propionic acid (19.62-25.74 mmol/l) was significantly different (P<0.05) while acetic acid (43.58-60.26 mmol/l) and butyric acid (10.74-15.91 mmol/l), total sugars (1.39-1.79 mg/ml), average daily milk yield (9.09-9.33 l/d), milk fat (3.21-4.39%), solids not fat (8.22-8.82%), total solids (11.83-12.98%) and crude protein (3.12-3.33%) were not significantly different (P>0.05) for cows fed with diets containing NG, WH and BP. These results suggest that WH and BP can be fed at 40% without any effect on rumen metabolism and milk yield and quality.