Ruminal fermentation and gas production in vitro from different forage legumes

Abstract

The objective was to evaluate dry matter (DM, \%), organic matter (OM, \%), crude protein (PC, \%), fractional volume of total gas (Vf, mL g-1MS), maximum volume of total gas (Vm, mL g-1 DM), total gas production rate (S, h-1) and final pH of the in vitrorumen fermentation of the foliage and fruit of Acacia farnesiana, Acacia polyacantha, Bauhinia variegata, Cassia fistula, Delonix regia, Erythrina coralloides, Jacaranda mimosifolia, Leucaena leucocephala, Moringa oleifera, Pithecellobium dulce and Prosopis laevigata. The species J. mimosifolia presented the lowest CP values (0.6\% and 3.8\%) in both morphological components, while M. oleifera and L. leucocephala obtained the highest values (31.2\% and 24\%) in foliage and fruit. respectively. In the total gas, the foliage of M. oleifera, J. mimosifolia and C. fistula obtained the highest values (p <= 0.05) of Vm and the lowest (p <= 0.05) of S together with B. variegata and A. polyacantha, while in Vf there were variations (p <= 0.05) over time. In fruit, A. farnesiana and P. laevigata obtained the highest values (p <= 0.05) of Vm, and S was higher in P. laevigata, while in Vf there were differences between species during fermentation. In conclusion, PC presented a greater degree of variability for both foliage and fruit, and total gas production was variable among all the species studied and a negative association with pH was observed.