Effects of compacted forage feeding on Indonesian cattle performance during prolonged sea transport

Abstract

Compacted forage forms such as wafers and pellets are rarely used in Indonesian cattle transport due to the need for feed adaptation. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of forage-based wafers and pellets in improving cattle performance during prolonged sea transport without the adaptation period to the feed. Two tests, both in vitro and in vivo, were conducted to assess feed quality and its impact on cattle performance. The first study evaluated digestibility of treatment and control feeds (straw and Indigofera) in the rumen. In the first experiment, three treatments (T1: straw, T2: indigofera, T3: straw + indigofera) and three repetitions were conducted, with a duplicate test at each repetition. The second study involved 20 cattle divided into four treatment groups with five duplicates each, testing feed efficiency with straw (control), pellet, wafer, and 10% Indigofera wafer supplementation. In the first experiment, it was observed that Indigofera exhibited the highest levels of Dry Matter Digestibility (DMD), Organic Matter Digestibility (OMD), and gas production, whereas straw production was the lowest (P<0.05). In the second experiment, the wafer feed group exhibited the greatest increase in body weight gain (BWG), as well as the highest levels of feed consumption and drinking water consumption (P<0.05). The study concluded that providing compressed wafer-shaped forage feed can enhance cattle performance during sea transportation.