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Estimating fermentation characteristics and nutritive value of ensiled and dried pomegranate seeds for ruminants using <i>in vitro</i> gas production technique


M Taher-Maddah
N Maheri-Sis
R Salamatdoustnobar
A Ahmadzadeh

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to determine the chemical composition and estimation of fermentation  characteristics and nutritive value of ensiled and dried pomegranate seeds using in vitro gas production  technique. Samples were collected, mixed, processed (ensiled and dried) and incubated in vitro with rumen  liquor taken from three fistulated Iranian native (Taleshi) steers at 2, 4, 6, 8, 12, 16, 24, 36, 48, 72 and 96 h. The results showed that ensiling lead to significant increase in gas production of pomegranate seeds at all  incubation times. The gas volume at 24 h incubation, were 25.76 and 17.91 ml/200mg DM for ensiled and dried pomegranate seeds, respectively. The gas production rate (c) also was significantly higher for ensiled groups  than dried (0.0930 vs. 0.0643 ml/h). The organic matter digestibility (OMD), metabolizable energy (ME), net energy for lactation (NEL) and short chain fatty acids (SCFA) of ensiled pomegranate seeds were significantly higher than that of dried samples (43.15%, 6.37 MJ/kg DM, 4.43 MJ/kg DM, 0.5553 mmol for ensiled samples vs. 34.62%, 5.10 MJ/kg DM, 3.56 MJ/kg DM, 0.3680 mmol for dried samples, respectively). It can be  concluded that ensiling increases the nutritive value of pomegranate seeds.


Keywords: Drying, Ensiling, Gas production, Nutritive value, Pomegranate seeds.


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eISSN: 2218-6050
print ISSN: 2226-4485