Effects of Malate and Yeast Supplementation in Concentrate Containing High Cassava Chip on Rumen Ecology and Digestibility of Nutrients in Beef Cattle

Four, 1-year old beef cattle were randomly assigned according to a 2 ´ 2 Factorial arrangement in a 4 ´ 4 Latin square design to study supplementation of malate level at 500 and 1,000 g with yeast ( Saccharomyces cerevisiae ) at 1,000 and 2,000 g in concentrate containing high levels of cassava chip. The treatments were as follows: T1 is supplementation of malate at 500 g with yeast at 1,000 g; T2 is supplementation of malate at 500 g with yeast at 2,000 g; T3 is supplementation of malate at 1,000 g with yeast at 1,000 g; T4 is supplementation of malate at 1,000 g with yeast at 2,000 g in concentrate, respectively. The animals were offered the treatment concentrate at 1 % BW of dry matter basis and urea-treated rice straw. The results revealed that rumen fermentation and blood metabolites were similar for all treatments. However, the digestibility of nutrients were significantly different for the diets, especially digestible nutrient intake of crude protein (CP) which was higher for cows fed cassava-based diets with T4 rather than T3, T2 and T1 (74.3, 72.5, 71.1 and 68.9 %, respectively). In addition, the concentration of volatile fatty acid was significantly different especially the concentration of propionic acid which was slightly higher in cattle receiving T4 than T3, T2 and T1 (23.3, 21.9, 20.9 and 18.0 %, respectively). The populations of protozoa and fungal zoospores were significantly different as affected by malate and yeast levels. In conclusion, the combined use of concentrate containing high levels of cassava chip at 70 % DM with malate at 1,000 g and yeast at 2,000 g in concentrate with urea-treated rice straw as a roughage improved rumen fermentation and digestibility of nutrients in beef cattle.