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The effect of a bacterial inoculant, urea and molasses on chemical composition, in vitro gas production and energy content of ensiled pomegranate (Punica granatum L.) seeds and peel pulp

Majid Ebrahim Pour1, Rahmat Ullah Haghparvar1, Ebrahim Rowghani2*, Kamal Shojaian3 and Mostafa Ghaderi Zefrei4

1Department  of  Biology, College  of  Sciences, Dehdasht Branch, Islamic Azad University, Dehdasht, Iran; 2Department  of  Animal  Sciences,  College  of  Agriculture, Darab Branch, Islamic Azad University, Darab, Iran; 3Department of Animal Sciences, College of Agriculture, Zabol University, Zabol, Iran; 4Department of Animal Sciences, College of Agriculture, Yasouj University, Yasouj, Iran

 
Abstract

This study was carried out to determine the effect of a bacterial inoculant, urea and molasses on chemical composition and nutritive value of ensiled pomegranate seed pulp (PSP) and pomegranate peel pulp (PP). The treatments were 100% PSP (T1), 100% PP (T2), 75% PSP and 25% PP (T3), 25% PSP and75% PP (T4), 50% PSP and 50% PP (T5), 50%  PSP and  50% PP with 5% urea (T6), 50% PSP and 50% PP with 5% molasses (T7), 50% PSP and 50% PP with  bacterial inoculant (T8), 50% PSP, 50% PP with 5% urea and 5% molasses and  50% PSP (T9), 50% PP with 5% urea and 5%  molasses and bacterial inoculant (T10). The bacterial inoculant (Lactobacillus plantarum) was applied at the recommended level of 1×105 CFU/g. The materials were ensiled for 30 days in plastic polyethylene bags. At the end of the ensiling period, all silages were subjected to chemical analysis and in vitro gas production. After fermentation, pH values in silage treated with inoculant decreased below 4.0 and the addition of urea  increased pH  to 5.47 and had highest crude protein (CP) content (P<0.05).  Ensiling PP was superior to PSP with respect to higher (P<0.05) gas production, organic matter digestibility (OMD), digestible organic matter in dry matter (DOMD) and metabolizable energy (ME) values and T2 and T9 had higher (P<0.05)  OMD, DOMD and ME values. Gas production was higher (P<0.05) for T2 but was intermediate for T9. Also, the results indicated that the application of urea and molasses resulted in silages with higher OMD, DOMD and ME values. In conclusion, ensiling pomegranate peel pulp with or without urea and molasses can provide a valuable feedstuff for ruminants.

Keywords: Urea; molasses; gas production; pomegranate seed and peel
 
To cite this article: Pour ME, RU Haghparvar, E Rowghani, K Shojaian and MG Zefrei, 2014. The effect of a bacterial inoculant, urea and molasses on chemical composition, in vitro gas production and energy content of ensiled pomegranate (Punica granatum L.) seeds and peel pulp. Res. Opin. Anim. Vet. Sci., 4(1), 85-90.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

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