Feeding mango peel silage to calves improved the growth performances and feed efficiency, and reduced the feed cost
Description
The major challenges for disposal of waste from fruit processing plants are high transportation costs, limited landfill availability and environmental pollution. Therefore, developing efficient waste management techniques to reduce transportation costs and environment pollution is important. In this study, fresh mongo peels (MP) were ensiled after sun-dried for one day and then fed to dairy male calves as the roughage source to evaluate its effect on feed intake, digestibility, energy balance, body weight gain, feed efficiency, blood metabolites and feed cost effectiveness. Eight growing crossbred dairy male calves were allocated into two groups [Control (n=4) and mango peel silage (MPS, n=4)]. Ensiling improved the energy and protein contents and decreased fibre content of MP, thereby improving the forage quality. Feeding MPS to calves increased (P < 0.05) feed intake, energy supply and energy balance, changes in body measurement, weight gain, feed efficiency, and glucose concentration, as well as lowered (P < 0.05) the urea nitrogen concentration and feed cost per kilogram of live weight gain. Ensiling fresh MP after sun-drying for one day improved silage quality, and feeding MPS to dairy male calves as a roughage source improved growth performances and feed efficiency while lowering feed costs per unit of weight gain. Thus, ensiling fresh MP after sun-drying for one day is an efficient waste management method because it reduces waste management problems from fruit processing plants while also improving feed supply for ruminant production.