EFFECT OF FEEDING DIFFERENT INCLUSION RATES OF WATER HYACINTH [EICHHORNIA CRASSIPES (MART.) SOLMS] ON THE BODY WEIGHT GAIN OF GROWING DAIRY BULL CALVES

Twenty-four (24) Holstein Friesian-Sahiwal crossbred growing dairy bull calves with average weight of 87.30 kg were used to evaluate the effect of feeding water hyacinth (WH) on the Body Weight Gain (BWG) of growing dairy bull calves at the Dairy Training and Research Institute (DTRI), Dairy Farm, College of Agriculture and Food Science, University of the Philippines (UPLB), College, Laguna from August 2017 to December 2017. WH at 0, 10, 20 and 40% dry matter (DM) basis substitution of Napier grass in the total mixed ration (TMR) served as treatments in six (6) randomized complete blocks, each block consisting of calves at the same weight range. WH at 40% caused increased DM intake in calves but feeding WH to calves did not affect body weight (BW) gain of the calves. Therefore, WH can be used as an alternative feed source at an inclusion rate of 10-20% dry matter basis substitution of Napier grass.