Chemical composition, organic matter digestibility and energy content of apple pomace silage and its combination with corn plant, sugar beet pulp and pumpkin pulp

Abstract

The objective of this research was to investigate and compare the quality of apple pomace silage ensiled with corn plant, sugar beet pulp, and pumpkin pulp for nutrient compositions. Fresh samples of apple pomace, corn plant, sugar beet pulp, pumpkin pulp, and their combinations were fermented in glass jars. The treatment groups included i) 100% apple pomace as control, ii) 100% corn plants, iii) 100% sugar beet pulp, iv) 100% pumpkin pulp, v) 50% apple pomace and 50% sugar beet pulp, vi) 50% apple pomace and 50% pumpkin pulp, and vii) 50% apple pomace and 50% whole corn plant. The silage pH was different among treatment groups, ranging from 3.60 to 4.15, being lowest with a combination of apple pomace and pumpkin pulp, and highest with sugar beet pulp. Dry matter (DM) and crude protein (CP) contents of the silages were also different among groups, with corn silage being the highest for both values, namely 29.17% for DM and 9.92% of DM for CP. Although acid detergent fibre (ADF) and crude cellulose (CC) values differed among silages (ADF and CC contents varied between 24.47 and 38.55% of DM and 21.58–28.98% of DM among silages, respectively), neutral detergent fibre (NDF) contents remained similar. In vitro organic matter digestibility of sugar beet pulp silage (74.41% of DM) was highest among all silages, whilst corn silage (55.35% of DM) had the lowest digestibility. Sugar beet pulp silage had the highest metabolizable energy (ME) (2.67 Mcal/kg DM) and net energy lactation (NEL) (1.61 Mcal/kg DM) values among all silages. The results of the current study suggested that nutritive values of the apple pomace silage were comparable with the silages from the other plant sources. In summary, apple pomace silage is a promising feed.

Keywords: Ensiling, fruit juice, gas production technique, nutritive value, roughage