Bui Phan Thu Hang et al., 2011. Livest. Res. Rural Dev., 23 (7)

Water hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes) infestation of water surfaces is usually thought to be a problem. On the other hand, its capacity to remove nutrients from polluted water is an asset. Developing ways to use economically the foliage of water hyacinth is therefore an important goal for researchers. The present study aimed to investigate if supplementation with other foliages would improve the utilization of water hyacinth by growing goats. Two experiments were conducted in the Angiang University Research Farm. The digestibility study was a 4*4 Latin-square design with Sesbania sesban at levels of 1 or 2% of LW (DM basis) in basal diets of water hyacinth leaves or leaves + stems. The growth study was a Complete Randomized Design with the water hyacinth leaves ad libitum supplemented with either Sesbania sesban, water spinach, natural grass or sweet potato vines (all at 1% of LW on DM basis). Feed intake and N retention were higher when water hyacinth leaves were the basal diet rather than leaves + stems. Growth rates were higher when Sesbania sesban, water spinach or sweet potato vines, rather than grass, were used to supplement the water hyacinth leaves.