Evaluation of oil palm fronds using fiber cracking technology combined with Indigofera sp. in ruminant ration by Rusitec

Abstract

The main problem of using oil palm fronds (OPF) as ruminant feed is due to the high content of detergent and neutral lignin fibers. OPF could not be used as a single feed, but must be combined with concentrates that have high protein and energy levels. Therefore, it is very necessary to find mixed concentrate alternatives, such as indigofera sp. in combination with OPF. This experiment aimed to analyze the quality of OPF using fiber cracking technology combined with indigofera sp. in the ruminant ration to the fermentation in the rumen-simulating semi-continuous culture system (Rusitec). This study consisted of two phases; the first phase is a fiber cracking technology of oil palm fronds and the second one is a Rusitec study. The study of fiber cracking technology used OPF that had been inputted into the fiber cracking machine. The Rusitec study was conducted in the Laboratory of Animal Nutrition, National Nuclear Technology Agency, Lebak Bulus Raya, South Jakarta, Indonesia. This study used rumen fluid from fistulated buffalo. This study used a randomized complete block with 4 replications. There are four treatments tested in this study: (1) OPF 60% + Concentrates 40% (T1); (2) OPF fiber cracking technology 60% + Concentrates 40% (T2); (3) OPF fiber cracking technology 60% + Concentrates 20% + Indigofera sp. 20% (T3); and (4) OPF fiber cracking technology 60% + Indigofera sp. 40% (T4). Parameters measured in this research were rumen volatile fatty acid (VFA) profiles, rumen ammonia, methane, pH, dry matter digestibility (DMDi), organic matter digestibility (OMDi), NDF, ADF, metabolism crude protein, proximate analysis, saponin, and tannin. Data were tested using analysis of variance (ANOVA), if there is a real difference then it is continued with Duncan’s Test. The fiber cracking machine using urea for ammoniation can destroy the bonds of lignocellulose and lignohemicellulose which are the factors causing low digestibility in ruminant.