Nutritional potentialities of sweet sorghum plant parts in ruminant production system

Abstract

The study evaluated the nutritive potentials of 8 cultivars of sweet sorghum and their suitability as ruminant feedstuff. The sorghum cultivars were grown and harvested, each cultivar divided into 2 portions (whole plants and leaves), thereafter ensiled with the view of assessing their nutritive potentials vis-à-vis eco-friendliness for improved/sustained ruminant production. Nutrients and anti-nutrient compositions were assessed. Organic matter digestibility (OMD), methane gas production (CH4), short chain fatty acids (SCFA) and metabolizable energy (ME) were evaluated using in vitro gas production technique. Data generated were subjected to appropriate statistical analysis. From the results, parameters assessed were significantly (P<0.05) improved among the treatments. Ensiling significantly improved the nutritive qualities with respect to the cultivars. The assayed phytochemicals were at tolerable levels and would not hinder nutrients absorption, if fed to ruminants. Further, the in vitro degradability study revealed that whole plant of Samsorg-14 sweet sorghum cultivar and its silage have the best nutritive qualities (CP (7.66%; 9.16%), OMD (37.20%; 37.74%), SCFA (0.32; 0.36 umol/200MgDM), ME (4.91; 4.99 MJ/kgDM), respectively. Hence, Samsorg-14 sweet sorghum cultivar was the best of all the cultivars and could serve as protein/energy source in ruminants’ diet vis-à-vis its methanogenesis, which invariably could contribute to greenhouse gas emission.