In Vitro Gas Production Parameters and Characteristics of Four Types of Sweet Orange (Citrus Sinensis) Peels Meal

Abstract

Four types of sweet orange peel meals: Ibadan sweet peel meal (ISPM), Valencia peel meal (VPM), Washington peel meal (WPM) and composite sweet orange peel meal (CSOPM) were assessed using the in vitro gas technique. The proximate constituents were analysed, and also milled samples of the four types of sweet orange peel meals in triplicates were incubated using 200mg/30ml innoculum for 24hrs. At post incubation, total methane gas produced was measured using 4 ml of 10M NaOH. The metabolizable energy (ME), organic matter digestibility (OMD) and short chain fatty acid (SCFA) were estimated. Dry matter was highest in CSOPM (87.66%) and lowest in WPM (80.50%), while crude protein (CP) and nitrogen free extract (NFE) values were highest in WPM (9.95% and 69.28% respectively). In vitro gas production volume (IVGP), ME, OMD and SCFA were not significantly different (p>0.05) among the sample types. However, absolute values showed that WPM had highest values of IVGP (48.33ml/200mgDM), ME (9.36MJ/kgDM), OMD (66.71%) and SCFA (1.09mmol/200mgDM). The potential extent of gas production 'b' of WPM (75.82ml/200mgDM) was significantly higher (p 0.05) among the treatments.