Quality Characteristics, in vitro Gas Production and Degradability of Megathyrsus maximus Ensiled with Different Parts of Albizia saman

Abstract

Background and Objective: Provision of affordable nutritious feeds throughout the year to ruminants are essential for improving the livestock systems productivity with methane mitigation potential.The study evaluated the effects of inclusion of Albizia saman parts (ASP) into Megathyrsus maximus silage on nutritive contents, production of in vitro gas and degradability for ruminants.Materials and Methods: The 5 silages with different parts of ASP (chaff, leaves, whole pods and seeds) and guinea grass were made into silage at a ratio of 25:75 (ASP: Grass), respectively with sole grass at 100% as control.The physical, fermentation characteristics and chemical quality of the silages were measured after 60 days of ensiling while degradability of the silage samples was carried out by incubating 200 mg DM for 24 hrs, using in vitro gas production method.Results: Increase in CP contents in silages with ASP parts over the control.Inclusion of ASP in grass silage increased in in vitro gas production with a corresponding decrease in relative methane gas volume.In vitro, dry matter digestibility and organic matter digestibility, short chain fatty acids and metabolizable energy increased by the addition of ASP to grass silage.Conclusion: The inclusion of ASP parts resulted in an increase in the nutritional quality of the silage, increased digestibility (total gas output) and reduced relative methane gas production.However, seeds and pods ensiled with the grass gave the highest quality and lowest net methane gas production when compared with other treatments.