Effects of Pelleted Cassava Chip and Raw Banana (Cass-Bann) on Rumen Fermentation and Utilization in Lactating Dairy Cows

Six, multiparous early-lactation Holstein-Friesai and Thai native crossbred cows were randomly assigned according to switch back design to study the effects of cass-bann feed on rumen fermentation, milk yield and milk composition in lactating dairy cows. The dietary treatments were as follows; T1-non-supplementation of cass-bann pellet, T2-supplementation of cass-bann pellet I in concentrate, T3-supplementation of cass-bann pellet II in concentrate. The results showed that dietary treatments had no effect on voluntary dry matter intake (p>0.05) while digestion coefficients of organic matter and neutral detergent fiber in T2 and T3 were significantly higher than those in T1 (p<0.05) but T2 and T3 were similar (p>0.05). Total direct count of bacteria and fungal zoospores in T3 tended to be higher than those in other treatments and total direct count of protozoa in T3 tended to be lower than those in other treatments. Total viable bacteria counts in T3 were significantly higher than those in T1 and T2 (p<0.05). Total Volatile Fatty Acids (TVFA), acetic acid (C2), propionic acid (C3) and butyric acid (C4) in T3 tended to be higher than those in other treatments but were not significantly different among treatments (p>0.05). Therefore, the results indicate that cass-bann pellet can be used in TMR. However, Feed intake, end-products of ruminal fermentation, milk yield and quality with supplementation of cass-bann pellet II (T3). Based on this study, the new feed (cass-bann) could be processed and used as an alternative quality feed source (energy and protein source) in dairy rations.