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Post-Harvest Pineapple Plant Forage as a Potential Feedstuff for Beef Cattle: Evaluated by Laboratory Analyses In Vitro and In Vivo Digestibility and Feedlot Trials

University of Hawaii at Manau, Honolulu 96822

Abstract

Laboratory analyses of the four major parts—stumps (s), ratoon stems (r), green leaves (gl), and dry leaves (dl)—of post-harvest pineapple plants were performed. Composite mean values on a dry matter (DM) basis for 18 plants, with the fraction in which they occurred, are given for the following components; crude protein (CP) 4.85, ether extract (EE) 1.82, ash 5.18, acid detergent fiber (ADF) 33.37, neutral detergent fiber (NDF) 58.42, lignin 7.95%, silica .32, starch 13.84 and glucose 1.33. Calcium and phosphorus values of .356% and .071% of DM, respectively, were obtained on weighted composite samples. In vitro DM disappearance values corrected for NDF were 79.6% (s), 78.8% (r), 74.9% (gl), and 64.9% (dl). Average DM contents were 30.2% (s), 23.7% (r), 14.5% (gl) and 69.7% (dl).

Whole plant pineapple silages (WPPS) supplemented with soybean meal (SBM) or with SBM + urea at the time of ensiling were evaluated. Crude protein (%) and energy (Mcal/kg DM) digestibility were: 78.1, 2.74 and 75.6, 2.40 for the respective silages. The crude protein in unsupplemented pineapple silage was determined to be 33.9% digestible and have a retention of 21.7%.

Seventy-two Hereford steers with mean initial weight of 188.2 kg were used to evaluate: (1) WPPS + SBM supplement (SBMS); (2) WPPS + SBM and urea supplement + molasses; (3) pineapple leaf silage (PLS) (upper 1/3 of plant) + SBMS; and (4) rolled corn + alfalfa cubes. Average daily gains (ADG) (kg/day/head) and feed conversion (FC) (kg DM/kg gain) for the 24- and 36-week feeding periods for the respective treatments were as follows: (1) .88, 8.19;.78, 9.64; (2) .68, 8.32;......;(3) .89, 7.75;.77, 9.15;and (4) 1.39, 5.80; 1.16, 6.44.

² Oregon State University, Department of Animal Science, Orvallis.

³ University of Hawaii at Manoa, Department of Animal Sciences, Honolulu.

⁴ University of Hawaii at Hilo, Hilo.