The in vitro digestion of neutral detergent fibre and other ruminal fermentation parameters of some fibrous feedstuffs in Damascus goat (Capra aegagrus hircus)

Abstract

The study aimed to compare in vitro gas and methane production and ruminal fermentation patterns of lucerne hay (Medicago sativa L.), sugar beet pulp (Beta vulgaris L.), maize silage (Zea mays L.), plantago hay (Plantago lanceolata L.), ajuga hay (Ajuga bombycina L.), guelder-rose leaf (Viburnum opulus L.), tomato pomace (Solanum lycopersicum L.), Jerusalem artichoke hay (Helianthus tuberosus) and pomegranate peel (Punica granatum L.) in rumen fluid of Damascus goats. Ruminal fermentation parameters such as kinetics, gas production, organic matter digestibility-gas (OMdgas), true-dry matter digestibility (T-DMd), true-organic matter digestibility (T-OMd), true-neutral detergent fibre digestibility (T-NDFd), partitioning factor (PF24) and gas yield (GY24) and metabolizable energy (ME) were determined. The highest gas production from insoluble fraction (bgas) and potential gas production (a+b)gas were in tomato pomace (P < 0.001). The (bgas) and (a+b)gas values of plantago, ajuga and Jerusalem artichoke hays were higher than those of lucerne hay (P < 0.001). The T-DMd, T-OMd, T-NDFd, OMdgas, ME and methane values of tomato pomace and sugar beet pulp were the highest in tested forages (P < 0.01). The highest acetic acid concentration in fermentation fluid was in Jerusalem artichoke hay and maize silage; the molarities of volatile fatty acids in fermentation fluids were ranged from 91.84 to 104.21 (P < 0.001). It can be concluded that tomato pomace and sugar beet pulp have the digestive potential in the goat rumen, although they promote high methane production. Moreover, hays of plantago, ajuga and Jerusalem artichoke as well as pomegranate peels may be used as alternative forages to common fibrous feedstuffs like lucerne hay in goat nutrition.