Performance and digestibility of steers fed by-product of fresh passion fruit or sorghum silage, with and without concentrate supplementation

Abstract

-The objective of this study was to evaluate the nutritive value of passion fruit by-product for cattle, contrasting the results with those found with sorghum silage. Four treatments were then constituted, comprising the combinations of the two roughages and the two levels of supplementation (with or without), in a completely randomized design with four animals per treatment. The considered variables included: feed intake, digestibility coefficients of the diets, and live weight gain of the animals. The experimental period lasted 70 days, preceded by a standardization period of 30 days. Chromium oxide was utilized to estimate the fecal output, in the digestibility trial. Treatments were compared by means of three orthogonal contrasts: between the two roughages and between the two concentrate levels within each roughage. Animals fed passion fruit by-product showed higher feed intake (total, per 100 kg of live weight (TLW), and per unit metabolic size) and had higher TLW gain than those fed sorghum silage (1.304 kg vs. 0.134 kg). The coefficients of apparent digestibility of dry matter (DM), organic matter (OM), and crude protein (CP) and the digestibility coefficient of neutral detergent fiber from passion fruit by-product were high, and much higher than those from sorghum silage. The concentrate supplement did not improve the TLW gain of animals fed passion fruit by-product and had a limiting effect on the digestibility coefficients of the diet. The concentrate supplement had a positive associative effect on intake and digestibility coefficients of DM, OM, and CP from sorghum silage. The by-product of fresh passion fruit is an excellent food for growing cattle as it provides high intake levels and weight gains, even when supplied as the only feed.

Elephant grass silage with addition of regional by-products

“…The CP contents were thus higher in the silage with the addition of PBP as compared with the other byproducts, as also evidenced by other authors (Cruz et al, 2011;Alves et al, 2015;Lira Junior et al, 2018). Of all three evaluated by-products, CBP provided the lowest CP levels in the silage.…”

“…47, 57.98, 50.70, and 20.60% and 4.28 Mcal kg -1 , respectively. The passion fruit by-product originates in agribusiness and has potential for use in ruminant feeding thanks to its pectin, mineral, vitamin and considerable protein content, which enables it to improve the nutritional value of the produced silage (Cruz et al, 2011;Alves et al, 2015;Bonfá et al, 2015). It is supplied by some industries for the production of compost.…”

Valorization of byproducts from tropical fruits: Extraction methodologies, applications, environmental, and economic assessment: A review (Part 1: General overview of the byproducts, traditional biorefinery practices, and possible applications)

“…Alves et al. () concluded that feeding cattle with passion fruit peel resulted in a higher feed intake and higher weight gain. Also, the coefficients of digestibility of dry matter, organic matter, crude protein, and the digestibility coefficient of neutral detergent fiber from passion fruit byproducts were higher than those observed with the sorghum silage.…”

“…Similarly, the mixture between grass and passion fruit peel could be an efficient and environmental acceptable way to preserve feeds in order to sustain the productivity of the herds during the dry season (Espinoza et al, 2017). Alves et al (2015) concluded that feeding cattle with passion fruit peel resulted in a higher feed intake and higher weight gain. Also, the coefficients of digestibility of dry matter, organic matter, crude protein, and the digestibility coefficient of neutral detergent fiber from passion fruit byproducts were higher than those observed with the sorghum silage.…”

Digestibility of diets with passion fruit by-product estimated through external and internal markers in dairy heifers

“…In this respect, by-products of fruits such as passion fruit have been constantly evaluated mainly in terms of their adequate level of inclusion in ruminant diets. In grass silage, these byproducts have shown good results (Alves et al, 2015;Bonfá et al, 2015;Lira Júnior et al, 2018).…”