Effects of Sago Palm Pith As Replacement for Corn Grain on Intake, Rumen Fermentation Characteristics and Microbial N Supply of Cattle Fed Paspalum Plicatulum Hay (Report‪)‬

INTRODUCTION Persistent shortages of conventional feedstuffs for livestock feeding in the developing countries are caused largely by inadequate production of farm crops to meet the needs both of humans and of their domestic animals. As a result, this increases feed costs when feedstuffs are dependent on imported materials. This has forced animal nutritionists to intensify research into the feeding values of potentially useful but unconventional crop products to replace more expensive ingredients, such as corn grain and soybean meal. One of these is sago palm (Metroxylon sagu) which is abundantly available and is widespread in southeast Asia and Oceania (FAO, 1983). The sago palm contributes to the socio-economic activity of the equatorial swamplands. In swampy areas of Thailand, the sago palm is a local plant and can be found in many areas in the southernmost provinces like Nahkonsirthommarat, Phathalung, Songkhla, Pattani, Yala and Narathiwas. The most important product of sago and by-products from sago palm includes sago palm pith (SPP), sago starch (SS) which is extracted from the SPP, and residued sago palm pith (RSPP) or sago fiber, a by-product of sago starch extraction.