Converting invasive macrophyte-Typha into silage feed: an opportunity for sustainable development in Hadeija Valley (Nigeria)

Abstract

Typha plant might be preserved as silage and used in ruminants feeding particularly in the dry season when other feeds are not available, thus helping reduce the cost of feeding. The research presented here compares the nutritive value and price of Typha silage with a local feed (sorghum straw, Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench) commonly used in sheep feeding. Three experimental diets were compared: a control diet including 30% of shorgum straw and no Typha); R10: control diet with 10% Typha silage, R20: control diet with 20% Typha silage, and R30: control diet with 30% Typha silage. In all diets Typha silage replaced an equal amount of sorghum straw in the diet. Samples of Typha with height between 0.5 m and 1.5 m were collected in the Hadejia Valley Irrigation Scheme (HVIS), and were analyzed fresh and ensiled either with molasses or with both molasses and urea. Typha (fresh and ensiled) had higher ash than that for sorghum straw, indicating that it could supply more minerals to the ruminant. Fresh Typha had similar neutral detergent fiber (NDF) content than sorghum straw (72.2% and 70.0%, respectively), while ensiled Typha had lower NDF than of sorghum straw (60.2% and 69.8%). Ensiled Typha had similar acid detergent fiber (ADF) content to sorghum straw (47.6% both of them). The added value price of Typha was calculated from the price of sorghum straw (N35 per kg). The addition of molasses and urea increase the price of the Typha silage (N15 and N20/kg for the silage with molasses and with molasses and urea, respectivley). Therefore, the livestock farmers in HVIS could save (N 4,000/ton) by using Typha silage as a replacement for sorghum straw. The use of Typha could be economically interesting and sustainable, but further studies are needed to investigate animal performance with Typha feeding.