Abstract 676

Nguyen van Thu, Nguyen thi kim Dong, Nguyen van Hon and Vo ai Quac

Faculty of Animal Husbandry and Vet. Medicine, Cantho University, Haugiang, Vietnam

Livestock Research for Rural Development 1993 5(1): 46-53.

In three experiments, multinutritional cakes were fed to: 10 straw-fed working buffaloes in the dry season and 10 straw- and grass-fed working buffaloes in the rainy season of 1990; 20 straw- and grass-fed working cattle in the dry and rainy season of 1991; and 9 young buffaloes fed rice straw, grass and fresh sugar cane bagasse in 1991. Comparable unsupplemented groups of buffaloes and cattle were used as controls for each experiment.

During a month at the end of the dry season the liveweight change of the supplemented buffaloes was 13.9±3.9 compared to -8.4±1.4 kg for the control (P<0.001). At the beginning of the rainy season the comparable data were -1.8±4.4 and - 12.0±1.7 kg, respectively (P<0.001). Supplemented buffaloes were able to plough a greater area per day, at a faster speed, and with more rapid recovery of normal pulse and respiration rate after working.

During a 3 month period, the liveweight change of growing young buffaloes was 25.58±5.32 with urea-molasses cake supplementation compared to 13.97±7.40 kg for the control (P<0.01).

It was concluded that the multinutritional cake supported a good health and working capacity of native cattle and buffaloes under harsh conditions of shortages of feed and water. The cake was applauded by local farmers.