ABSTRACT
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

Dwi Yulistiani1*, Atien Priyanti2, I Gusti Ayu Putu Mahendri3, Hotmatua Daulay2, Yuhendra Yuhendra4, Arsyadi Ali5, Ruslan Abdul Gopar1, Gresy Eva Tresia1*, Ferdy Saputra1, and Susana Insusila Watining Rakhmani1
 
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 studywasto 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 (119.31 mL 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.
Keywords: Elaeis guineensis, in vitro gas production, oil palm frond, palm kernel cake, sago bagasse, solid decanter.
1National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN), Research Organization for Agriculture and Food, Research Center for Animal Husbandry, Bogor, Indonesia.
2National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN), Research Center for Behavioral and Circular Economics, Jakarta, Indonesia.
3National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN), Research Center for Macroeconomics and Finance, Jakarta, Indonesia.
4Livestock and Veterinary Service, Riau, Indonesia.
5Universitas Islam Negeri Sultan Syarif Kasim Riau, Faculty of Agriculture and Animal Science, Pekanbaru, Riau, Indonesia.
*Corresponding authors (dwiy009@brin.go.id; gres001@brin.go.id)