In vitro biogas production and degradations of sheep diets containing Crotalaria or Chipile at two different regrowth ages

Abstract

Objective: To determine in vitro the biogas production and fermentative characteristics of diets for fattening lambs containing 20% chipile or crotalaria with 30 or 40 d of regrowth.

Methodology: The treatments were whole diets containing 20% crotalaria with 30 d (T1) or 40 d of regrowth (T2), as well as 20% chipile with 30 d (T3) or 40 d of regrowth (T4). In vitro gas production was measured at 2, 4, 6, 8, 8, 10, 12, 24, 48 and 72 h; kinetic estimators (A, b, k), dry matter (DMD), organic matter (OMD), neutral detergent fiber (NDFD) and acid detergent fiber (ADFD) degradation, metabolizable energy (ME) and short-chain fatty acids (SCFA). The experimental design was completely randomized.

Results: In the accumulated biogas production, T4 presented higher production from 2 to 24 h; T3 and T4 higher at 48 h and T1 higher at 72 h. The kinetic estimators showed that T1 was higher in A and k and T4 was higher in b. T2 presented the lowest DMD, OMD, NDFD, ADFD, ME and SCFA. Limitations of the study: Chipile scale production is limited to produce more biomass, as it is not yet domesticated

Conclusions: Sheep diets containing 20% chipile or crotalaria with 30 d of regrowth were shown to be an alternative in the elaboration of whole-grain diets for intensive fattening of lambs in the tropics.