The Use of Agricultural Crop Residues as Alternatives to Conventional Feedstuffs for Ruminants: A Review

Authors : Muhammad Zeeshan AKRAM, Sema YAMAN FIRINCIOĞLU

Pages : 58-66

View : 24 | Download : 19

Publication Date : 2019-11-27

Article Type : Review Paper

Abstract :The development and application of modern technology for upgrading crop residues has stimulated great interest in developing countries. Researchers are working on the development of crop residues particularly vegetable discarded leaves in agriculture fields as feed, with emphasis on improving their intake and digestibility in ruminants. Despite much research at universities and research stations, farmer uptake and utilization of the residues is still minimal. Reasons for this are manifold but include difficulties of transporting and storing crop residues, insufficient trials at farmer level, inappropriate technology, and absence of agriculture extension services. Literature showed that crop residues possess good nutritive values of crude protein insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(CP);, metabolizable energy insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(ME);, total digestible nutrients insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(TDN); and mineral contents. Results of various studies demonstrated that cereal straws and vegetable leaves from field crops and non-conventional feed resources showed a significant influence on the growth performance parameters of ruminants. The literature further revealed that vegetable leaves could be stored in the form of silage and hay and they have the potential to be used as alternative forage in the ruminant ration. This review summarizes the data of Turkey and Pakistan related to animal feed resources and availability of forage, problems associated with utilization of crop residues and recommendations about the offering of agriculture field crop residues and wastes to animals as alternatives to conventional feedstuffs.  
Keywords : livestock, ruminants, crop residues