Abstract
Simple SummaryCommon vetch is an important legume crop of mixed crop-livestock systems, and it has the ability to satisfy food, fodder, and fertilizer demands through grain, stover, and nitrogen fixation. The aim of this study was to evaluate common vetch varietal differences in stover nutritive value, ruminal fermentation properties, nutrient digestibility, nitrogen retention, and animal performance in fattening lambs consuming a diet comprising 20% common vetch. The results showed that the substitution of alfalfa hay by varieties Lanjian No. 1 and Lanjian No. 2 stovers in ruminant diets could be advantageous in reducing dependence on imported alfalfa hay, thereby enhancing sustainability of small holder farmers on the Tibetan Plateau.This study evaluated common vetch stover as a feed in mixed rations for growing lambs. Four common vetch varieties were compared with alfalfa (control) for their effects on growth performance, ruminal fermentation, nutrient digestibility, and nitrogen retention. Male Hu lambs (n = 50) aged 3 months, with a mean body weight of 17.5 ± 0.34 kg were allocated randomly to one of the five dietary treatments, making 10 lambs per treatment. The experiment lasted 67 days with a 10-day adaptation period and a 50-day fattening period, and with the final 7 days used for a nutrient digestibility and nitrogen balance trial. All diets contained 30.0% maize straw and 50.0% concentrate, with different forage sources (on a fed basis): 20.0% alfalfa hay (control), 20.0% local common vetch variety 333A (C333A) stover, or 20.0% stover of one of three improved common vetch varieties: Lanjian No. 1 (CLJ1), Lanjian No. 2 (CLJ2), or Lanjian No. 3 (CLJ3). For stover quality, CLJ1 stover had the greatest crude protein (CP), in vitro organic matter digestibility (IVOMD), and metabolizable energy (ME) content and the least cell wall contents, while C333A stover had the least CP, IVOMD, and ME contents and the greatest cell wall contents. Sheep fed the control diet had a greater average daily gain (ADG), apparent digestibility of organic matter (DOM), neutral detergent fiber, acid detergent fiber, and nitrogen retention, and greater ruminal total volatile fatty acids concentration than lambs fed the C333A or CLJ3 diet, but similar performance to lambs fed the CLJ1 and CLJ2 diets. The feed conversion ratio and predicted CH4 emission per unit of DOM intake and ADG of the control, CLJ1, and CLJ2 diets was significantly lower (p < 0.05) than for the other diets. Based on these results, stovers of varieties CLJ1 and CLJ2 can be recommended as an alternative to alfalfa hay and for use in a legume crop rotation with cereals on the Tibetan plateau.
Highlights
The use of common vetch (Vicia sativa L.) has attracted increasing interest in smallholder crop-livestock systems, partly as an animal feed, utilizing the seed and stover and partly to maintain soil fertility as a nitrogen-fixing strategy [1,2], and because of its suitability for cultivation in conditions where other feed legumes are poorly suited, including in regions with harsh winters and in alpine conditions [3,4]
Significant differences (p < 0.01) among the varieties were observed for stover chemical composition (Table 2), with a general pattern of negative correlation between crude protein (CP) and the various fiber determinations, and positive correlation between CP and metabolizable energy (ME) and OMD
The highest contents of OM, neutral detergent fiber (NDF), ADF, ADL, and cellulose were observed in common vetch variety 333A (C333A) stover while CLJ1 stover had the least
Summary
The use of common vetch (Vicia sativa L.) has attracted increasing interest in smallholder crop-livestock systems, partly as an animal feed, utilizing the seed and stover and partly to maintain soil fertility as a nitrogen-fixing strategy [1,2], and because of its suitability for cultivation in conditions where other feed legumes are poorly suited, including in regions with harsh winters (i.e., cold, dry conditions) and in alpine conditions [3,4]. To contain 12.7% crude protein (CP), and have 51.7% in vitro organic matter digestibility (IVOMD), respectively. These values are high enough for common vetch to be used as a source of CP supplement or replacement for ruminant animals offered low CP cereal straw or native pasture hay-based diets, as occurs in many smallholder crop-livestock systems. The use of common vetch stover as a livestock feed has historically been low, because of a lack of knowledge of the potential of crop residues for use in the feeding and production of ruminants, since a majority of the previous studies have focused on yield, chemical composition, and in vitro digestibility of stover [1,4,6].
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