Mukasafari Marie Anne, Mutimura Mupenzi, Wredle Ewa, Gonda Horacio Leandro
Department of Animal Production, University of Rwanda, Box 57, Nyagatare, Rwanda.
Department of Applied Animal Science and Welfare, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Box 7024, Uppsala, 750 07, Sweden.
Trop Anim Health Prod. 2025 Jul 18;57(7):301. doi: 10.1007/s11250-025-04562-w.
The study aimed to analyse both the type and quality of available feed resources used by smallholder dairy farmers in the Northern Province of Rwanda during the transition period from the short rainy season to the short dry season. A total of 218 feed samples were collected from 178 households. Twenty different feed types were identified and classified into: roadside vegetation (51%), cultivated grasses (45%), crop residues (23%), and cultivated trees (2%). Similar feeds from the same village and district were pooled, and the results from 175 feed samples were analysed for crude protein (CP), neutral detergent fibre (NDF), acid detergent fibre (ADF), and ash. Organic matter digestibility (OMD) and metabolisable energy (ME) content of the samples was calculated based on in vitro gas production at 24 h (GP). Among all feed resources used, 42, 32, 12, and 9% of the households, respectively, minimally used feed such as Napier grass, assorted grasses, Digitaria, and maize stover. The CP content varied (p < 0.0001) between 4.4% in banana pseudo-stem and 34.8% in Elderberry tree. Only sweet potato vines, elderberry trees, and maize stover had significantly (p < 0.0001) higher OMD than the other feeds. The ME values ranged from 4.2 to 10.7 MJ/kg DM, with the lowest values reported for roadside vegetation (Commelina and gallant soldier), and the highest for Elderberry tree. Possible interventions such as training farmers in forage management and optimising the use of available feed resources, along with supplementing of higher-quality feed, can escalate productivity.
该研究旨在分析卢旺达北部省份小农户奶农在从短雨季到短旱季的过渡期间所使用的现有饲料资源的类型和质量。共从178户家庭收集了218份饲料样本。识别出20种不同的饲料类型并分为：路边植被（51%）、栽培牧草（45%）、作物残渣（23%）和栽培树木（2%）。来自同一村庄和地区的相似饲料被合并，对175份饲料样本的粗蛋白（CP）、中性洗涤纤维（NDF）、酸性洗涤纤维（ADF）和灰分进行了分析。基于24小时体外产气（GP）计算样本的有机物消化率（OMD）和代谢能（ME）含量。在所有使用的饲料资源中，分别有42%、32%、12%和9%的家庭最少使用象草、各类牧草、马唐和玉米秸秆等饲料。香蕉假茎的CP含量为4.4%，接骨木树的为34.8%，两者之间存在差异（p < 0.0001）。只有甘薯藤、接骨木树和玉米秸秆的OMD显著高于其他饲料（p < 0.0001）。ME值范围为4.2至10.7 MJ/kg DM，路边植被（鸭跖草和藿香蓟）的ME值最低，接骨木树的最高。诸如培训农民进行饲料管理和优化现有饲料资源的利用，以及补充高质量饲料等可能的干预措施，可以提高生产力。
