Feasibility of Including Coffee Waste into Livestock Feeding System of Southwestern Ethiopia

Abstract

A series of laboratory and animal experiments were conducted with yearling rams to evaluate the nutritive value of coffee pulp alone and in combination with sugarcane stem, sugarcane top, banana foliage, elephant grass and natural pasture. Quality and nutrient composition of the silages and feed intake, weight gain, and proteindigestibility by yearling rams were used as evaluation parameters. Based on appearance, odor and pH value, good quality silage was produced from coffee pulp alone and in combination with 30% of the forages. The color of both coffee pulp and banana foliage turned black when taken out of the silo due to the occurrence of enzymatic browning reactions. The composition of crude protein, lignin, lignified protein, tannins, caffeine, potassium and cutin were highest in pure coffee pulp silage and decreased in the fortified silages. All treatment silages were completely rejected by the animals. Severe diarrhea, swelling around the face and neck, bloating and emaciation were observed in yearling rams fed with the silages, all of which lost weight. The treatment groups placed on >70% coffee pulp recuperated and regained its average initial body weight following 15 days of grazing subsequent to completion of the experimental period. Supplementation with Alfalfa, oil seed cakes and leguminous tree foliage failed to improve the adverse effect of coffee pulp on the animals, suggesting that, investigating into the possibility of using coffee pulp in the production of fuel briquette seems to be the future direction of research on coffee pulp.