Physical-chemical characterization of tropical fruit by-products for use in animal feed.

Abstract

By-products from pineapple, acerola, guava, passion fruit, and melon from tropical fruit processing were characterized for use as feed source to meet cattle nutritional necessity. The residues were sun dried until humidity reached from 13 to 16%. The residual preparation was done by ground, using a mill hammer with 5mm of mesh. In the residual samples from the sheep digestibility assay the following analysis were carried out: dry matter, raw protein, ethereal extract, neutral and acid detergent fiber, ashes, insoluble nitrogen in neutral and acid detergent, lignin, calcium, phosphorus, pectin, and in vitro digestibility of dry matter. The results showed that the content of dry matter, raw protein, acid detergent fiber, neutral detergent fiber, hemicelluloses, lignin, and total carbohydrate ranged from 83.33 to 86.33%; 8.35 to 17.33%; 30.74 to 54.70%; 56.15 to 73.45%; 9.92 to 40.65%; 5.29 to 20.11%; 64.84 to 83.68%, respectively. Dry matter content ranged from 32.20 to 62.11%.