Integral sugar cane to stimulate ad libitum intake of coarse feeds by cows

The information from four experiments with 28 cows (20 dry and 8 with 65 days of lactation) weighing 550 and 465 kg, respectively. Feed consumption of all the cows were recorded. Twelve sugar cane (Saccharum officinarum (L) and star grass (Cynodon nlemfuensis) diets were offered as coarse feeds with or without supplementation. Data of dry cows and dry and lactating cows together were analysed separately and correlated with the level of sugar cane inclusion in the diet or sugar cane consumption with total feed consumption. The low quality of the star grass forage accounted for its low intake in the ration where this was the sole roughage with or without supplementation. There was a close relationship between the level of sugar cane inclusion in the ration and sugar cane intake and total feed intake expressed in kg DM/100 kg live weight. Polynomial equations were usedto estimate optimum total feed consumption on including 48 and 43% integral sugar cane in the DM of the ration and when 2.8 and 3.0 g of sugar cane/kg live weight were supplied in dry cows and dry and lactating cows. respectively. The fact that up to 45% of integral sugar cane stimulatus total feed consumption when offered with low quality forage suggests that the contribution of sugar in its natural form could act as a regulator in roughage rations based on tropical,pastures, this being a practical and economical regulating device in rations based on tropical pastures since this resource is available within the ecosystem in the livestock farm.