IN SITU NUTRIENT DEGRADABILITY OF BANANA (Musa sapientum) PSEUDOSTEM AND WATER HYACINTH [Eichhornia crassipess (Mart.)] IN DAIRY CATTLE

Abstract

In situ degradation of banana pseudostem (BPS) and water hyacinth (WH) in cannulated dairy cattle were investigated. The samples were dried, ground and inserted into a digestion bag before they were incubated inside the rumen of the cannulated dairy cattle for 3, 6, 12, 24, 48 and 72 h. Results showed that DM degradable fractions in BPS and WH were greater compared (P<0.05) to Napier grass (NG). Degradable OM fractions were greatest in BPS which may indicate more readily available OM in BPS for rumen microorganisms. Degradable fractions of NDF were the same among the feed samples. The degradation curves of the three samples showed that banana pseudostem had the highest DM degradability of 80% at 12 h. It is also seen that after 72 h, the total DM degraded was the same for all treatments.