NUTRITIONAL EVALUATION OF VARIOUS FEEDSTUFFS FOR LIVESTOCK PRODUCTION USING IN VITRO GAS METHOD

摘要

A study was undertaken to evaluate the nutritional quality of some conventional and non-conventionalfeed resources by using in vitro gas method. Samples of various feedstuffs were analyzed chemically, aswell as by in vitro gas method. The feedstuffs having different digestibilities showed significant (P<= 0.05)differences in the rate and amount of gas production, metabolizable energy (ME) and digestibility oforganic matter. Predicted metabolizable energy values were very low in feedstuffs having high fiber andlow protein contents. These feedstuffs included various grasses, crop residues and wheal straw. Lowest MEvalue of 4.7 MJ/kg of dry matter (DM) was found in wheat straw. Many of the roughages (Sorghumvulgare, Kochia indica, Leptochloa fused) studied were found to be deficient in fermentable carbohydrates,resulting in low organic matter digestibility. Concentrate feed stuffs like cotton seed meal, sunflower meal,cotton seed cakes, rice polish, rapeseed meal and Zea mays (maize) grains had higher ME values (9.27 -12.44 MJ/kg DM). The difference of ME of various feedstuffs reflects different contents of fermentablecarbohydrates and available nitrogen in cereals and protein supplements. Among the non-conventionalfeedstuffs, Acacia ampliceps, Acacia nilotica, Sesbania aculeata, Leptochloa fusca and Prosopis juliflorawere found potential fodders. Extensive use of in vitro gas method proved its potential as a tool to evaluatevarious ruminant feeds for energy component.