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Sisal (Agave sisalana)

IMPORTANT INFORMATION: This datasheet is pending revision and updating; its contents are currently derived from FAO's Animal Feed Resources Information System (1991-2002) and from Bo Göhl's Tropical Feeds (1976-1982).

Datasheet

Description
Click on the "Nutritional aspects" tab for recommendations for ruminants, pigs, poultry, rabbits, horses, fish and crustaceans
Common names 
Sisal, henequen, hemp plant, mescal, sisal agave, sisal hemp, garingboom, sisalagave, sisal
Species 

Agave sisalana Perr. [Agavaceae]

Feed categories 
Related feed(s) 
Description 
Stemless perennial with thick succulent leaves 1-1.5 m long having smooth edges and a sharp dark-brown terminal spine. The plant produces a central spike up to 6 m high after seven or eight years. The leaves are threshed for the durable white fibres used in the manufacture of rope and twine. The leaf, waste, or pulp, left as a by-product accumulates in large amounts at processing sites.
Nutritional aspects
Ruminants 
Sisal leaf waste has been used profitably for cattle and rabbit feed. Up to 27 kg of fresh sisal waste have been fed daily to dairy cows, but the average intake of sisal waste when used as a supplement for grazing cattle is about 10 kg per day. Undesirable side-effects have not been observed even after heavy feeding of sisal waste for long periods. The succulence of fresh sisal waste makes it a useful feed during dry periods. Once accustomed to it, cattle find sisal waste quite palatable. Sisal waste ferments rapidly and should be used within forty-eight hours or be either sun-dried or ensiled. It takes about one month for "untrained" cattle to reach the maximum intake of fresh waste, whereas a cow which has received sisal waste the previous season attains the same level in a week. Cattle accustomed to sisal waste attack it avidly. The main limitation of utilizing sisal waste for feed is its high moisture content. Besides, it is perishable and low in nutritive value, mostly because of its lack of digestible protein and phosphorus.
Nutritional tables
Tables of chemical composition and nutritional value 

Avg: average or predicted value; SD: standard deviation; Min: minimum value; Max: maximum value; Nb: number of values (samples) used

IMPORTANT INFORMATION: This datasheet is pending revision and updating; its contents are currently derived from FAO's Animal Feed Resources Information System (1991-2002) and from Bo Göhl's Tropical Feeds (1976-1982).

Main analysis Unit Avg SD Min Max Nb
Dry matter % as fed 12.0 1
Crude protein % DM 15.1 1
Crude fibre % DM 43.7 1
Ether extract % DM 4.9 1
Ash % DM 21.6 1
Gross energy MJ/kg DM 17.0 *

The asterisk * indicates that the average value was obtained by an equation.

References

Laksevela et al., 1970

Last updated on 24/10/2012 00:45:04

Main analysis Unit Avg SD Min Max Nb
Dry matter % as fed 11.0 11.0 11.0 2
Crude protein % DM 6.4 5.2 7.6 2
Crude fibre % DM 29.2 22.7 35.6 2
Ether extract % DM 3.2 2.7 3.7 2
Ash % DM 15.6 15.5 15.6 2
Gross energy MJ/kg DM 16.6 *
 
Minerals Unit Avg SD Min Max Nb
Calcium g/kg DM 57.2 1
Phosphorus g/kg DM 1.1 1
 
Ruminant nutritive values Unit Avg SD Min Max Nb
OM digestibility, Ruminant % 58.4 1
ME ruminants (FAO, 1982) MJ/kg DM 7.8 1
Nitrogen digestibility, ruminants % 8.0 1

The asterisk * indicates that the average value was obtained by an equation.

References

Laksevela et al., 1970

Last updated on 24/10/2012 00:45:04

References
References 
Belmar, R. ; Riley, J. A., 1984. Acid base balance in young bulls fed ensiled sisal bagasse (Agave fourcroydes). Trop. Anim. Prod., 9 (2): 151-156
Gentry, H. S., 1982. Agaves of continental North America. University of Arizona Press, 670 p. web icon
Laksevela, B. ; Said A. N., 1970. Kenya sisal project. Bull. No. 71, Kenya Sisal Board, p. 13
Rios, G. ; Riley, J. A., 1985. Preliminary studies on the utilization of the natural vegetation in the henequen zone of Yucatan for the production of goats. I. Selection and nutritive value of native plants. Trop. Anim. Prod., 10 (1): 1-10 web icon
Rodriguez, A. ; Riley, J. A. ; Thorpe, W., 1985. Animal performance and physiological disturbances in sheep fed diets based on ensiled sisal pulp (Agave fourcroydes). 1. The effect of supplementation with protein, forage and minerals. Trop. Anim. Prod., 10 (1): 23-31
Rodriguez, A. ; Riley, J. A. ; Thorpe, W, 1985. Animal performance and physiological disturbances in sheep fed diets based on ensiled sisal pulp (Agave fourcroydes). 2. The effect of forage source and removal of short fibres. Trop. Anim. Prod., 10 (1): 32-38
6 references found
Datasheet citation 

DATASHEET UNDER CONSTRUCTION. DO NOT QUOTE. https://feedipedia.org/node/189 Last updated on March 16, 2010, 17:13

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