<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">

<p>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 (CH<sub>4</sub>), short chain fatty acids (SCFA) and metabolizable energy (ME) were evaluated using <italic>in vitro</italic> gas production technique. Data generated were subjected to appropriate statistical analysis. From the results, parameters assessed were significantly (P&lt;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 <italic>in vitro</italic> 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.</p>
</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.

Nutritional potentialities of sweet sorghum plant parts in ruminant production system

Department of Animal Production and Health, School of Agriculture and Agricultural Technology

Archiva Zootechnica

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

The study evaluated the nutritive potentials of 8 cultivars of sweet sorghum and their suitability as ruminant feedstuff. The sorghum cultivars were grown and...

Nutritional potentialities of sweet sorghum plant parts in ruminant production system

Published Online: Jun 30, 2022

Page range: 5 - 23

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/azibna-2022-0001

Keywords
methane, nutrients, small ruminants, sorghum cultivars, tropics

© 2022 Fapohunda O. Olusola et al., published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

Nutritional potentialities of sweet sorghum plant parts in ruminant production system

Published Online: Jun 30, 2022

Page range: 5 - 23

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/azibna-2022-0001

Keywordsmethane, nutrients, small ruminants, sorghum cultivars, tropics

© 2022 Fapohunda O. Olusola et al., published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

Keywords
methane, nutrients, small ruminants, sorghum cultivars, tropics