Characteristics of Ini Vitro Fermentative Digestibility of Odot Grass (Pennisetum Purpureum Cv. Mott) At Different Planting Spacing and Defoliation Age

Abstract

This study aimed to evaluate the characteristics of in vitro fermentative digestibility of odot grass planted at different spacing and defoliation ages-days after planting (DAP). The study was conducted in the Field Laboratory of the Faculty of Animal Science of the Halu Oleo University and the Laboratory of Nutrition for Dairy Sciences of the Faculty of Animal Husbandry, IPB University. The study was designed by using factorial randomized block design (3x3). The first factor was planting spacing (60 cm x 90 cm, 75 cm x 90 cm and 90 cm x 90 cm), and the second factor was defoliation age (60 DAP, 90 DAP, and 120 DAP), consisted of 4 groups and there were 36 treatment combinations. The grouping was based on the slope of the land. The study data were analyzed by using analysis of variance using SPSS 21 and if the treatment had a significant effect, a different test between treatments was tested by using the Duncan’s Multiple Range Test (DMRT) test. The experimental results showed that the interaction between planting spacing and defoliation age did not affect the characteristics of fermentation and nutrient digestibility in vitro. However, the in vitro fermentation characteristics were affected significantly (<em>p</em><0.05) by defoliation age, but were not affected by planting spacing whereas the pH level was not affected by spacing and defoliation age. Further tests of the differences between treatments showed that the planting spacing treatment was not significantly different (<em>p</em>>0.05), whereas among the defoliation age treatments were significantly different (<em>p</em><0.05). The conclusion of this study was the treatment of planting spacing and defoliation age did not affect digestibility in vitro fermentative of grass odot. The treatment of defoliation age independently influenced the in vitro digestibility of odot grass.