Evaluation of in vitro digestibility and pH of Acacia seed pods (Acacia sp.)

Abstract

This study aimed to determine the rumen fluid's in-vitro dry matter digestibility (IVDMD), in-vitro organic matter digestibility (IVOMD), and pH of different species Acacia seed pods as a single feed ingredient. The Acacia species in this study were Acacia mangium, Acacia auriculiformis, and Acacia crassicarpa. The method used was in vitro two-stages with the first 48 hours of incubation (the rumen) and the second 48 hours of incubation (post-rumen), and analyses of pH. The research design used was a completely randomized design (CRD) with 3 treatments and 5 replications based on the Acacia species. The data were analysed with oneway analysis of variance (ANOVA) followed by Duncan's multiple range test (DMRT). The results showed that IVDMD stage one was 34.59-37.59%; IVOMD stage one was 38.66-43.06%. Stage two of IVDMD was 58.02-59.23%; stage two of IVOMD was 51.67-55.01% and rumen fluid pH were 6.58-7.02. Different Acacia seed pods had significant differences in IVDMD and IVOMD stage one in the rumen and stage two in the post-rumen (P<0.05), but not in the pH value (P>0.05). We concluded that different acacia seed pods had different digestibility values in the rumen and post-rumen. However, it does not affect the rumen acidity.