In Vitro and In Situ Evaluation of Broccoli Wastes as Potential Feed for Ruminants

Abstract

The potential of broccoli wastes (florets and stems) as ruminant feed was analyzed using in vitro and in situ techniques. Both stems and florets had high moisture content (90.6 and 86.1%, respectively), but the stems contained (% dry matter) lower levels (p p = 0.071; 33.4 vs. 19.6%) than florets. Stems had greater in vitro dry matter rumen degradability (45.3%; 24 h incubation) and lower in vitro CP intestinal digestibility (82.7%) compared with florets (42.2 and 90.1%, respectively). Rumen degradability of protein was high (3-N concentrations of a mixed diet including 40% of the concentrate. Including dried broccoli in the diet produced only small modifications in the volatile fatty acid profile and did not affect CH4 emission.

Keywords

• broccoli
• florets and stems
• ruminal degradability
• methane
• intestinal digestibility
• in vitro