NUTRIENT CONTENTS AND INSACCO DEGRADABILITY OF DIFFERENT FRACTIONS OF OIL PALM (Elaeis guineensis) FROND

Abstract

In Malaysia, oil palm frond (OPF) is widely used as a roughage source for ruminants. OPF consist of three major fractions namely, petiole, leaflets and midribs. Nutrient contents and in sacco rumen degradability of the three fractions were detemiined. Crude protein content of leaflet (131.2 g/‘kg DM) was significantly higher (P<.01) than petiole (25.5 g/kg DM). Calcium (Ca) and phosphoms (P) content were also higher in leaflet as compared to petiole and midribs. Midrib exhibited higher lignin (359.9 g/kgDM) followed by leaflet (274.2 g/'kgDM) and petiole (172.3 g/kgDM). Silica content (38.5 g/kgDM) was also higher in midrib as compared to leaflet (37.5) and petiole. Both the petiole and midribs had higher NDF and ADF as compared to leaflet. Total carbohydrate of petiole was higher (P<.0001) than leaflet and midrib. The highest potential degradability (B) obtained from leaflet (527 g/kg DM) compared to midrib (449 g/kg DM) and petiole (346 g/kg DM). The 48h DM degmdabiltty of all fractions ranged between 340-390 g/kg. More than 73% of degraded portion of leaflet were degraded within 48h of incubation, whereas, in petiole and midrib the values were 77% and 87% respectively, meaning the prolonged incubation does not have any significant effect on DM degradation of petiole and midrib.