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Nutrient Composition and Forage Yield, Nutritive Quality of Silage Produced from Maize-Lablab Mixture

Amole^1,2,*, T.A., Oduguwa¹, B.O., Jolaosho², A.O., Arigbede², M.O., Olanite², J.A., Dele², P.A. and Ojo², V.O.A.

¹Institute of Food Security, Environmental Resources and Agricultural Research,
²Department of Pasture and Range Management, Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, P.M.B 2240 Alabata, Ogun State, Nigeria

Malaysian J. Anim. Sci. 2013 16(2): 45-61

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Trials were conducted at the Teaching and Research farm, UNAAB in 2008 and 2009 to evaluate the effect of undersowing Lablab (Lablab purpureus cv. Rongai) in maize on grain yield, and to evaluate the nutritive quality of the silage in the dry season using calves. A 2 ha piece of land was used for the experiment. In both years, maize was undersown with Lablab two weeks after planting (2WAP) the maize. At harvest (10WAP), fresh weights and number of cobs, shelling percentage and weight of 1000 grains of maize were determined. Silages of sole maize and maize-lablab in ratio 70:30 were made at harvest in plastic bags. After 4 months of conservation, twelve cross-bred (White Fulani x N?dama) calves weighing 71-72 kg were randomly allocated to three dietary treatments: grazing + sole maize silage, grazing + maize-lablab silage and unsupplemented grazing as control for 84 days. A seven day trial was also conducted to find out the digestibility and utilization of the maize ? lablab and sole maize silage fed to cross-bred calves as supplement in the dry season. Undersowing increased grain yield in subsequent year. Nitrogen retention was higher (P<0.05) in maize-lablab and lower in natural pasture. Calves supplemented with maize-lablab silage (70:30) had the highest (P<0.05) metabolic weight gain (50.03 g/kgW0.75) while calves without supplementation had the lowest gain (42.76 g/kgW0.75). It was concluded that maize- lablab silage (70:30) could be used as supplements to enhance the growth and survival of calves during the dry season.