Effects of Mount Agung eruption on botanical composition and nutritive value of ration fed and rumen performance of Bali cattle in evacuation zones

Abstract

Mount Agung eruption, August to December 2017, that is located in Karangasem Regency, Bali Province, caused Bali cattle to be evacuated. This study was undertaken to compare botanical composition and nutritive value of forage fed to Bali cattle and rumen performance before and after eruption in evacuation zones i.e. Sidemen and Nongan Villages. The first phase was a survey conducted in December 2017 on farmers to collect information on botanical composition fed before and after the eruption. The second phase was laboratory forage sample analysis from January to May 2018 for their nutritive value and rumen performance i.e. pH, NH3 and total VFA, Digestible Organic Matter in Rumen (DOMR) and microbial protein synthesis (MPS). Data was analysed using Anova. Results showed that there was more composition of forage fed before eruption in both evacuation zones compared to those of after the eruption. In Nongan evacuation zone, DOMR was higher 4161.81b ± 188.18 g/head/day vs. 3318.36a2) ± 236.89 g/head/day but lower in Sidemen evacuation zones 4403.53a2) ± 143.81 g/head/day vs. 4818.17a ± 279.77 g/head/day. In summary, there was more botanical composition of forage fed to Bali cattle.