Chemical constituents and in-vitro rumen fermentation for dietary inclusion of <i>Delonix regia</i> seed meal for sustainable ruminant production

Abstract

This study was conducted to assess the chemical composition and in-vitro digestibility for dietary inclusion of Delonix regia seeds meal (DSM) for   sustainable ruminant production. Four experimental treatments were formulated and DSM was included and varied as T1 (35/0%), T2 (20/15%), T3 (15/20%) and T4 (0/35%), respectively, each treatment were replicated and analyzed for the proximate composition and in-vitro analysis. There were significant differences (P<0.05) in the nutrients and fiber fractions (CP, EE, ash, OM, NFE, NDF, ADF and hemicellulose) across the experimental  treatments as CP ranged between 10.50 – 13.60% and decreased with inclusion of DSM. The NFE, NDF and hemicellulose were similar (P>0.05) in T1 and T4. In-vitro analysis indicated that the methane gas volume was significantly (P<0.05) influenced with the dietary inclusion of DSM across the experimental treatments as T2 had the highest volume of CH (0.61mL) while the least was 4 recorded for T1 (0.47 mL). There was no significant  difference (P>0.05) for 24hrs gas production, CH percentage, CH reduction percentage, in-vitro dry matter digestibility 4 4 (IDMD), in-vitro organic matter digestibility (IOMD), metabolizable energy and fermentation efficiency across the treatments. Conclusively, the nutrients profile of the experimental treatments justifies the utilization of DSM for sustainable ruminant production. Similarity in post in-vitro parameters across  treatments is an indication that inclusion of DSM will go a long way to resolve the challenges of feed and feeding for ruminant production.

Keywords: Chemical constituents, Delonix-regia-seed-meal, in-vitro, production, ruminant and sustainable