Protected Fatty Acid- Amino Acid as Energy Source for Fattening Ongole Crossbred Cattle

Providing feed to the ruminants often has obstacles especially energy and protein because of seasonal changes. A supplement containing high-density energy and amino acid will be useful for cattle especially when insufficient energy occurs during the dry season. This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of a protected fatty acid-amino acid supplement for fattening cattle. A complete randomized block design was applied, with different level of protected fatty acid-amino acid addition as treatments A: null; B: 0.3 g/kg LW and C: 0.6 g/kg LW with 10 heads in each group. Thirty Ongole crossbred bulls were used with the initial liveweight (LW) ± sem (478.2 ± 13.5) kg. The bulls offered ad libitum concentrate containing 16% crude protein and 65% total digestible nutrient and elephant grass. The supplement was prepared by reacting palm fatty acid distillate with CaO in a heating process, lysine monohydrochloride was added as much as 20% of the total supplement produced. The results showed that the LWGs were A. 0.99 kg/d B. 1.00 kg/d and C. 1.09 kg/d. The body condition score gains were A: 0.54, B: 0.54; and C: 0.61. The supplement effect did not reach a maximum result although a high LWG was reached. There were no differences in leptin, creatinine, total cholesterol, glucose, total protein, and blood urea nitrogen concentrations affected by the supplement. Besides, there were no differences in rumen characteristics affected by the supplement. To conclude, all groups reached high LWG although the efficacy of the supplement was not optimum