EFFECT OF FICUS SUR (CV. FORSSK) FRUITS SUPPLEMENTATION ON FEED INTAKE, MILK YIELD AND COMPOSITION, AND SENSORY ATTRIBUTES OF HORRO COWS

Abstract

An experiment was conducted in Horro Guduru Zone, at Guduru Animal Production and Research Center (GAPRC) of Wollega University to evaluate the effect of Ficus sur (Cv. Forssk) fruits supplementation on feed intake, milk yield and composition, and sensory attributes of Horro cows. Twelve healthy lactating Horro cows of similar lactation stage, body weight and condition were selected from GAPRC. All of the selected cows were in early (one weak to 10days) lactation stage. The experiment had three treatments with four replications by using a randomized complete block design to which 2-5 parities were used as blocking factor, and three cows were used per parity. The treatments were: T1. Rhodes grass hay +1.7kg Oat grain +0.8kg Noug seed cake, T2. Rhodes grass hay +0.56kg Noug seed cake+0.97kg oat grain +0.97kg Ficus sur fruits and T3. Rhodes grass hay +0.8kg Noug seed cake+ 1.7kg Ficus sur fruits. The experiment was conducted for 60 days, out of which 15 days were for adaptation and 45 days were for actual experiment. Except crude protein intake, there were significant (P<0.05) differences in total dry matter, neutral detergent fiber, acid detergent fiber and organic matter intakes among treatment groups. The mean milk yield /cow/day was 2.96; while fat, protein, total solid, solid-not-fat, and Ash composition of milk (%) were, 3.33, 2.98, 12.34, 9.02, and 0.67, respectively. Milk yield were increased across treatments from T1 to T3. Except Lactose content, the compositions of milk were significantly differed (P<0.05) among treatment groups. Milk fat of cows fed T1 diet was higher than those fed T2 and T3 diet. Using of FSF as dairy cows feed with different proportion of NSC and RGH improved the sensory attributes (flavor/test, aroma/odor, color) of yogurt, cheese and butter. Except texture of butter, there were no significant difference on texture of yogurt and cheese. Supplementation of Ficus sur fruit with Noug seed cake was potentially profitable and economically feasible than those supplemented with Oat grain. In conclusion, supplementation of Horro cows with different proportion of FSF and OG maintained on basal diet of Rhodes grass hay has a positive effect on feed intake, milk yield and milk composition, and sensory attributes of dairy products. Due to high cost of agro industrial by products and critical feed shortage it is economically advantageous to use Ficus sur fruits as supplement to improve milk production and productivity of Horro cows. Since FSF is nutritionally promising, further research is suggested to study the propagation and management of Ficus sur trees and their fruit yields.