IN VITRO EVALUATION OF GUINEA GRASS ENSILED WITH DIFFERENT SUBSTRATES

Abstract

The research was carried out to determine the feed quality of guinea grass ensiled with different substrates using in vitro gas production technique. Guinea grass were harvested from the University of Port Harcourt Demonstration grassland, chopped to 2-3cm, wilted and ensiled with cassava peels and plantain peels at equal proportions (%) in three experimental treatments. The treatments are: 100% of ensiled guinea grass (T1), 50% of ensiled guinea grass + 50% of cassava peels (T2) and 50% of ensiled guinea grass + 50% of plantain peels (T3) respectively. The ensiled materials were kept for 21 days. Gas production was continuously measured by incubating samples in buffered rumen fluid from goats for 24 hours. Cumulative gas production was recorded at 3, 6, 9, 12, 15, 18, 21 and 24 hours of incubation periods and kinetics of gas production was described.There was significant difference (P< 0.05) in the gas volume produced throughout the 24 hours of incubation. The T2 and T3 had the highest methane reduction. While, organic matter digestibility, short chain fatty acid and metabolizable energy were significantly different (P<0.05) across treatments. Thus, ensiling Guinea grass with cassava peels and plantain peels have potentials for reduction in methane emission and effective utilization by ruminants in the tropics during the dry season.