Potential of oil palm by-products supplemented with sago bagasse and solid decanter as basal diet for beef cattle feeding: Evidence from in vitro evaluation

By-products from oil palm (Elaeis guineensis Jacq.) industry are abundantly available year-round and potential to be used as a sustainable alternative feed for beef cattle raised in the oil palm plantation.The objective of the study was to evaluate in vitro digestibility, gas and methane production, and rumen fermentation of oil palm industry by-product as basal diet for beef cattle supplemented with sago (Metroxylon sagu Rottb.)bagasse.Four formulated diets were (i) mixture of oil palm frond and palm kernel cake and urea as control diet (CO); (ii) CO supplemented by sago bagasse (COSB); (iii) CO supplemented by solid decanter (COSD); and (iv) CO supplemented by sago bagasse and solid decanter (COSDSB).These diets were evaluated using in vitro gas production.Results show that in vitro true DM degradability (IVTDMD) and methane production were similar among the four-diet treatments with the average 57.73% and 2.8108 mL g -1 , respectively.This indicates their potential feed suitability for beef cattle.In contrast, gas production is significantly different among treatments with the lowest value for CO (119.31mL g -1 ) and highest for COSB treatment (135.26 mL g -1 ), suggesting less microbial activities without supplementation to frond palm.Supplementation of sago bagasse and solid decanter to the byproducts (COSB, COSD and COSDSB treatments) significantly increased protozoa population and fermentation thereby increase microbial biomass (MCP), total volatile fatty acids production and propionic acid production.It can be concluded that oil palm frond and palm kernel cake basal diet are potential to be used for beef cattle diet by supplementing with sago bagasse and solid decanter to enhance their digestibility and fermentation in the rumen.