<i>In vitro</i> digestibility and nutrient profile of dried and ensiled ripe and unripe plantain peels

Abstract

The experiment was conducted to determine the In-vitro digestibility and nutrient profile of dried and ensiled ripe or unripe plantain peels. The treatments were dried unripe (T₁), ensiled unripe (T₂), ensiled ripe (T₃), and dried ripe (T₄) plantain peels. The fresh peels were collected from processing points in Choba and its environs, dried, crushed and bagged. The fresh peels for silage were wilted overnight, chopped, loaded into silos, compressed and sealed. They were ensiled for 28 days. Samples of the dried and ensiled plantain peels were taken to the laboratory for nutrient composition and in vitro digestion. The results showed significant differences (P˂0.05) in crude protein, crude fibre, ash, dry matter and nitrogen free extract contents of the treatments. Crude protein content was highest in T₃ (9.26%) and lowest in T₄ (4.29%). Iron, Zinc, and Copper differed significantly (P˂0.05). The neutral detergent fibre, acid detergent lignin, hemicelluloses, cellulose and non-fibre carbohydrate differed significantly (P˂0.05). The tannins differed significantly (P˂0.05) with the highest value in T₃. The methane production, dry matter digestibility, fermentation efficiency, metabolizable energy and organic matter digestibility differed significantly (P<0.05). The ensiled ripe and unripe plantain peels are more suitable for feeding ruminants because their crude protein contents were higher than the recommended 7% for ruminants. It will reduce the cost of ruminant production and the environmental pollution caused by indiscriminate dumping of peels.

Keywords: Crude protein, dry matter digestibility, methane production, neutral detergent fibre and tannins