Supplementation of Yeast Fermented Cassava Chip as a Replacement Concentrate on Rumen Fermentation Efficiency and Digestibility of Nutrients in Heifer

Ten, 1 year old of dairy heifers with initial body weight of 150 +/- 10 kg were randomly divided into 2 groups and received concentrate at 14% CP (T-1) and Yeast Fermented Cassava Chip (YFCC) (T-2). The cows were offered the treatment concentrate at 1% BW and urea-treated rice straw was fed ad libitum. Means were compared using t-test. All animals were kept in individual pens and received free access to water. The results have revealed that replacement of YFCC on feed intake was non-significantly different, while Average Daily Gain (ADG) and digestibility of nutrients were higher (p<0.05) in heifer fed YFCC (T-2) treatments than received concentrate at 14% CP (T-1) (254.3 and 219.4 g day(-1)). In addition, the ruminal pH, ammonia-nitrogen and blood urea nitrogen concentration were significantly different (p<0.05). The concentration of volatile fatty acid was significantly different especially the concentration of propionic acid was slightly higher in heifer receiving T-2 than T-1 Supplementation of YFCC (T-2) could improve population of bacteria and fungal zoospore, but decreased populations of Holotrich and Entodiniomorph protozoa in rumen (p<0.05). The results indicate that supplementation of Yeast Fermented Cassava Chip (YFCC) as a replacement concentrate at 14% CP could improve rumen fermentation efficiency and digestibility of nutrients in dairy heifers.