Author : Bambang Suwignyo

Summary : This study aimed to determine the effect of tannin in the diet on the rumen ecology of carabao and cattle fed with rice straw. Specifically, it aimed to determine its effect on the rumen pH, temperature and ammonia-N levels, in sacco dry matter and protein digestibility, mmicrobial population, and nutrient intake of carabao and carabao and cattle. Two studies were conducted to detrmine the effect of commercial vegetable tannin (CVT) at 0%,3%,6% and Leucaena leucocephala (LCT) at 0%,6%, and 12% of ration. The amount of feed offered was 2.5% of live weight on DM basis. Three rumen-fistulated carabao and cattle (body weight 342+-66.93 kg) were used in this experiment. The CVT in the diet significantly affected the intake of DM, CP, and NDF, but not the rumen in sacco digestibility of DM, CP, and NDF and rumen pH, temperature, and NH3-N. Carabao performed better than cattle in terms of the variables measured. Carabao had significantly higher values for degradation rate CP and significantly lower potentially degradable fraction CP, significantly higher intake of DM, CP, and NDF at 0% and 3% CVT levels, and significantly higher on average of NH3-N before feeding. Similar trend was noted when animals were fed with Leucaena leucocephala. In this study, at high concentration of CVT (6%) and Leucaena leucocephala (12%) in the diet, the intake and in sacco digestibility of nutrients were decreased.