JACKFRUIT LEAVES SILAGE GREATLY REDUCES METHANE PRODUCTION WITHOUT AFFECTING RUMINAL FERMENTATION AND DIGESTIBILITY

Abstract

An in vitro research was conducted to evaluate the effect of replacing Napier grass (NG) silage with jackfruit leaves (JL) silage in a concentrate-containing diet on nutrient digestibility, ruminal fermentation and methane (CH₄) production. The experiment was assigned as a completely randomized design with 5 treatments using separate ruminal fluid from 4 dairy goats as statistical replicates. In all treatments, the concentrate (35% DM) was persistent. The experimental treatments were developed by the replacement of JL silage for NG silage at levels of 0%, 16.2%, 32.5%, 48.8% and 65% DM, corresponding to treatments JLS0, JLS16.2, JLS32.5, JLS48.8, and JLS65. The results showed that NH₃-N and VFA levels were not altered (P > 0.05) across treatments after 72 h of incubation. The digestibility of DM and OM remained unchanged when using up to 48.8% of JL silage; however, it decreased (P < 0.05) at 65% of JL usage, compared to the replacement level at 16.2%. The use of JL silage did not affect total gas production, but CH₄ production in the JLS48.8 and JLS65 tended to reduce by 26.5 and 27.4%, respectively, compared to JLS0 (P < 0.1). In conclusion, replacing the proportion of jackfruit leaves silage for Napier grass silage up to 48.8% in the diet containing 35% concentrate greatly reduces CH₄ emissions without negative impact on nutrient digestibility and ruminal fermentation.