Effects of In Vitro Fermentation of Different Roughage on Dry Matter Digestibility, Gas Production Kinetics, Methane Emission and Fermentation Products
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Abstract
This study aimed to evaluate the fermentation characteristics of six types of roughages, either alone (100%) or in a 50:50 ratio with concentrate, using an in vitro technique. The parameters assessed were in vitro dry matter digestibility (IVDMD), gas production kinetics, and fermentation end-products. The roughage sources included sugarcane (SC), baby corn stover (BS), pineapple stalk (PS), leucaena (LC), rice straw (RS), and Napier grass (NG). The experimental design followed a Completely Randomized Design (CRD). The results revealed that when fermented alone, SC, BS, and PS exhibited significantly higher digestion rates and cumulative gas production compared to RS and NG (P < 0.01). Furthermore, PS showed the highest values for IVDMD and short-chain fatty acid (SCFA) concentrations at 24 hours of fermentation. The RS and NG groups exhibited the lowest IVDMD and SCFA concentrations (p < 0.01). Regarding gas production per gram of dry matter digested, SC recorded the highest value, whereas PS showed the lowest (P < 0.01). When fermented in combination with concentrate, SC exhibited higher cumulative gas production than LC, RS, and NG (p < 0.01), although gas production rates did not differ significantly (p > 0.05). Meanwhile, PS achieved the highest IVDMD and SCFA concentrations (p < 0.01). However, SC recorded the highest total gas, methane, and carbon dioxide production per gram of dry matter digested (p < 0.01). Ammonia nitrogen concentrations were not significantly different across all treatment groups (p > 0.05). In conclusion, PS is a promising roughage, comparable to BS, for enhancing digestibility and mitigating greenhouse gases, whereas SC exhibits lower digestibility and higher relative gas emissions.
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King Mongkut's Agricultural Journal
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