Copra Meal Slowly Replacing Palm Kernel Cake in the Diet with Very Good Results

Copra Meal Slowly Replacing Palm Kernel Cake in the Diet with Very Good Results

The week ended in Alaminos full of excitement. The addition of copra meal have done wonders in improving palatability of the pelleted goat's feed being fed the dairy goats in the milking line. Marked improvement of daily milk yields were being recorded.

Trying to find out an explanation on the improvement of palatability with copra meal in lieu of palm kernel cake, we came across an old note in the work we did for Dr David Foulkes of the Northe rn Territory, Department of Primary Industry, Australia in the late nineties.

CONCENTRATE FEED SUPPLEMENTS

Resistant to breakdown in rumen and providing extra nutrients to the animal.

Copra: The byproduct of oil extraction process from coconuts, usually by mechanical press, copra is relatively high in good quality protein which is resistant to rumen degradation (pelleting increases this resistance). Oil residues may also be high (2.5-6.5%) depending on efficiency of processing. Copra oil is uniquely high in the saturated fatty acid laurate which is beneficial for marbling of meat. Copra readily absorbs molasses making it more palatable as a goat feed. In the pelleted form, copra can be fed up to 25% of the diet (dry feed basis).

Palm Kernel Cake (PKC): This is the solid residue left after extraction of the oil from the oil palm kernel. PKC has been used in Malaysia as the only source of protein and energy in rations. The protein is good quality and the oil is mostly saturated, but the feed is not very palatable if the oil content is high(expeller pressed PKC has 6-10% oil content) and needs long adaptation period facilitated by adding molasses if high levels are to be fed, it is recommended not to feed more than 50% of the ration as PKC.

I guess this will explain the big improvement in palatability. The reduction of palm kernel cake with the introduction of copra meal in the diet. It was also shown that copra meal easily absorbed molasses. In pellet form it becomes very palatable for ruminants and further enhances it as a bypass protein.

Prices of copra meal is now down to Php 8 pesos per kilo. Copra meal will replace palm kernel cake in the diet, we are just waiting for the stock of palm kernel cake to run out.

The good weather and the improved palatabilty of pelleted goat's feed the past days have resulted to marked improvement in daily milk yields. We will continue to take notes and see where this will bring us.

Good nutrition with the 35% shredded Indigofera in the pelleted goat's feed is already a given with our experience in Alaminos. It is in good genetics part that we need more time to prove it with good milk records. Show me the milk will be our battle cry in 2013. We look forward to identify high milking dairy goat lines in Alaminos in the coming New Year .