Effects of Corn Bran on the Nutritional Quality of Pineapple Peel Silage

Combining pineapple peel waste with a specific level of corn bran produces high-quality silage that meets the nutritional needs of ruminants. The present study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of incorporating corn bran in improving the physical properties and nutritional quality of pineapple peel silage for ruminant feeding in tropical regions. The silage treatment was conducted using a completely randomized design with four treatment groups and five replications. The experimental diets consisted of four levels of pineapple peel and corn bran, including 100% of pineapple peel with no bran (P0), 95% of pineapple peel with 5% of bran (P1), 90% of pineapple peel with 10% of bran (P2), and 85% of pineapple peel with 15% of bran (P3). Each treatment group received 5% of molasses as an additive. Silage quality was analyzed using near-infrared spectroscopy. To evaluate rumen fermentation and digestibility, the in vitro Conway method was utilized, employing rumen fluid obtained from fistulated Holstein-Friesian bulls. Pineapple peel silage containing different corn starches exhibited a higher pH than the control group. Group P3 significantly produced higher crude protein (CP) and nitrogen-free extract (NFE) levels than the other treatment groups. Increasing the amount of corn bran in group P3 increased ammonia (NH3) production by 11.15 mM and total volatile fatty acids (VFA) by 134.20 mM compared to the control group. Group P3 exhibited the highest digestibility coefficients, with dry matter and organic matter values reaching 82.77% and 82.46%, respectively. The feed mixture comprising 85% pineapple peel and 15% corn bran is recommended for ruminants in tropical regions due to its superior overall nutritional quality. This feed mixture elevated CP, NFE, NH3 production, total VFA, dry matter, and organic matter.