| Abstract |
Abstract: The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of various tropical grasses with different ratios of roughage to concentrate (R:C) on gas production kinetics and rumen fermentation efficiency in in vitro gas production technique. Two male, rumen fistulated dairy steers were used as rumen fluid donors. The treatments were arranged according to a 5x4 Factorial arrangement in a Completely randomized design with five roughage sources namely Ruzi (Brachiaria ruziziensis), Guinae (Panicum maximum), Napier pakchong1 (Pennisetum purpureum x Pennisetum americanum), dwarf Napier (Pennisetum purpureum cv. Mott) and Sweet grass (Pennisetum purpursum, Schum) and four R:C ratios (80:20, 60:40, 40:60 and 20:80). Under this investigation, the results revealed that increasing concentrate ratio resulted in decreasing ruminal pH, but increasing gas production, DM and OM digestibility. There was no interaction between roughage sources and R:C ratios. Sweet grass has the highest crude protein content and revealed the highest DM and OM digestibility up to 80 %roughage. Based on this study, it could be concluded that R:C ratio had an effect on rumen gas production and digestibility. Sweet grass could be used as a high quality roughage source in ruminant feeding for enhancing rumen ecology, fermentation and digestion. However, in vivo trials should be subsequently conducted to investigate more on the effect of feeding sweet grass in diets on rumen ecology and productivity such as meat and milk of ruminants.
Keyword: Tropical grasses, digestibility, fermentation, ruminants
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Publication
Journal Publication
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