In situ degradability of king grass (Pennisetum purpureum) supplemented with banana (Musa spp.) varieties

Degradabilidade in situ do capim-elefante (Pennisetum purpureum) suplementado com variedades de banana (Musa spp.)

Abstract

The in situ degradability of forages is a critical aspect of ruminant nutrition, as it determines the efficiency of digestion and nutrient utilization. This study evaluated the degradability of King Grass (Pennisetum purpureum) supplemented with three banana (Musa spp.) varieties at different inclusion levels. The experiment was conducted at the Rumenology Laboratory of the Faculty of Animal Sciences. The experiment was conducted using a completely randomized block design under a 3 × 3 factorial arrangement. Factor A consisted of three levels of dried King Grass (50, 65, and 75%), and Factor B comprised three banana varieties: Valery (Val), Grand William (GW), and Grand Nain (GN). A total of nine treatments were tested with three replicates each: T1 (King G 75% + Val 25%), T2 (King G 65% + Val 35%), T3 (King G 50% + Val 50%), T4 (King G 75% + GW 25%), T5 (King G 65% + GW 35%), T6 (King G 50% + GW 50%), T7 (King G 75% + GN 25%), T8 (King G 65% + GN 35%), and T9 (King G 50% + GN 50%). Data were analysed using ANOVA and the means compared using Tukey's test (P < 0.05). Results showed that the degradability of dry matter (DM), neutral detergent fiber (NDF), and acid detergent fiber (ADF) decreased over time, but reached digestibility values above 70% after 72 hours of ruminal incubation, indicating high-quality diets in terms of ruminal digestibility. The highest DM degradability was observed in the combination of 50% King Grass with 50% Grand Nain; the highest NDF degradability occurred with 50% King Grass and 50% Valery; while the highest ADF degradability was obtained with 75% King Grass and 25% Valery. These findings highlight the nutritional and environmental potential of banana by-products for sustainable ruminant feeding.

Keywords:
banana; in situ degradability; incubation; King Grass; rumen

Resumo

A degradabilidade in situ de forragens é um aspecto crítico da nutrição de ruminantes, pois determina a eficiência da digestão e a utilização de nutrientes. Este estudo avaliou a degradabilidade do capim-elefante (Pennisetum purpureum) suplementado com três variedades de banana (Musa spp.) em diferentes níveis de inclusão. O experimento foi conduzido no Laboratório de Rumenologia da Faculdade de Zootecnia. O delineamento experimental utilizado foi em blocos casualizados em esquema fatorial 3 × 3. O Fator A consistiu em três níveis de capim-elefante seco (50%, 65% e 75%), e o Fator B compreendeu três variedades de banana: Valery (Val), Grand William (GW) e Grand Nain (GN). Um total de nove tratamentos foram testados com três repetições cada: T1 (Capim-elefante 75% + Val 25%), T2 (Capim-elefante 65% + Val 35%), T3 (Capim-elefante 50% + Val 50%), T4 (Capim-elefante 75% + GW 25%), T5 (Capim-elefante 65% + GW 35%), T6 (Capim-elefante 50% + GW 50%), T7 (Capim-elefante 75% + GN 25%), T8 (Capim-elefante 65% + GN 35%) e T9 (Capim-elefante 50% + GN 50%). Os dados foram analisados ​​usando ANOVA e as médias comparadas usando o teste de Tukey (P < 0,05). Os resultados mostraram que a degradabilidade da matéria seca (MS), fibra em detergente neutro (FDN) e fibra em detergente ácido (FDA) diminuiu ao longo do tempo, mas atingiu valores de digestibilidade acima de 70% após 72 horas de incubação ruminal, indicando dietas de alta qualidade em termos de digestibilidade ruminal. A maior degradabilidade da MS foi observada na combinação de 50% de capim-elefante com 50% de Grand Nain; a maior degradabilidade de FDN ocorreu com 50% de capim-rei e 50% de Valery; enquanto a maior degradabilidade de FDA foi obtida com 75% de capim-rei e 25% de Valery. Esses achados destacam o potencial nutricional e ambiental dos subprodutos da banana para a alimentação sustentável de ruminantes.

Palavras-chave:
banana; degradabilidade in situ; incubação; capim-elefante; rúmen

1. Introduction

Diet formulation requires comprehensive knowledge of nutritional requirements, nutrient intake, chemical composition, as well as the degradability and/or digestibility of dry matter (Huhtanen et al., 2013; Offner et al., 2003). Concurrently, there is growing interest in reducing greenhouse gas emissions, particularly methane (CH4) produced from enteric fermentation in livestock, which has significantly increased public and private research funding opportunities aimed at developing CH4 mitigation strategies (Tedeschi et al., 2022; Hristov et al., 2024). In the Amazon region of Ecuador, one of the main cultivated forages is Pennisetum purpureum cv. King Grass, characterized by broad, elongated leaf blades covered with short, pubescent trichomes. Its inflorescence exhibits typical traits of the Pennisetum genus, producing fertile sexual seeds with germination rates up to 18% (Nkosi et al., 2024; Rashid et al., 2025).

According to the latest report from the National Institute of Statistics and Censuses of Ecuador (INEC, 2022), 92% of the country’s banana production in 2021 was concentrated in the provinces of Los Ríos (38%), Guayas (31%), and El Oro (22%). Bananas are highly valued fruits, rich in potassium, non-structural carbohydrates and minerals, making them an energy-dense feed resource with considerable potential for animal nutrition (Álvarez et al., 2015; Nambi-Kasozi et al., 2016; (Zhang et al., 2021). While the leaves of this plant contain appropriate levels of neutral detergent fiber (NDF), crude protein (CP), and lignin for ruminant feeding, especially as forage (Frutos et al., 2004), the presence of tannins in banana fruits is the main anti-nutritional factor (Barry et al., 1986). Tannins may negatively affect feed intake and digestion by inhibiting proteolytic enzyme activity (Fonseca et al., 2023). However, some studies report that low tannin inclusion levels can improve animal productivity (Beauchemin et al., 2022).

Locally, fruit that does not enter commercial markets is known as “rejects.” According to Kazemi and Valizadeh (2024), thousands of tons of fruit residues are generated worldwide annually, most of which remain unused and are released into the environment. Incorporating these residues into animal feed reduces competition between food and feed, lowers environmental risks, and decreases methane production in ruminants (Zhang et al., 2021). The dual focus on cultural and agricultural aspects underscores the importance of documenting and promoting sustainable practices that leverage local resources to enhance food security and economic resilience in rural communities (Kennedy, 2009).

Despite the well-recognized nutritional benefits of plantains, more comprehensive research is needed on the use of banana by-products in animal nutrition, especially concerning potential effects on livestock health and productivity. Addressing these knowledge gaps could further validate the role of banana in improving agricultural sustainability and contribute to broader discussions on food systems in developing regions. Based on this context, the present study evaluates the in situ degradability and degradation kinetics of nutrients from King Grass supplemented with three varieties of rejected banana at different inclusion levels.

2. Materials and Methods

2.1. Area study

The research was conducted at the Laboratory of Rumenology and Nutritional Metabolism of the Technical State University of Quevedo (UTEQ), located at kilometer 7.5 on the Quevedo Mocache road, in Mocache canton, Los Ríos province, Ecuador. The geographical location is defined by the coordinates 1°04’48.6” South latitude and 79°30’04.2” West longitude, at an altitude of 75 meters above sea level. These climatic and environmental conditions, typical of a humid tropical environment, directly influence the characteristics of the materials used in the study. The King Grass used in the experiment was obtained from a plot established at the “La María” Experimental Campus of the Faculty of Animal Sciences at UTEQ.

2.3. Experimental procedures

A uniform cutting was performed prior to harvesting, which took place at 45 days of growth without the application of fertilizers. The rejected bananas, including three varieties (Valery, Gran William, and Grand Nain), were collected from local packing companies located in the cantons of Mocache and Valencia. These bananas, discarded for not meeting commercial quality standards, represent a sustainable and low-cost resource, with high contents of sugars and starches that can be effectively utilized in animal diets. Both materials the grass and the bananas were processed using a forage chopper (SC Cevacos Trapp® ES 400), which reduced particle size to a length of 2 to 5 cm to improve ruminal microbial access. This processing was essential to increase the surface area and facilitate microbial action in the rumen. Additionally, although drying the grass is practical for storage purposes, it may have affected the initial solubility of certain nutrients, potentially prolonging their degradation in the rumen compared to fresh forage.

2.3. Treatments

A completely randomised block design with an A × B factorial arrangement was used. Factor A was King Grass (King G) dry grass levels and factor B was Valery (Val) banana varieties. Grand William (GW). Grand Nain (GN). with nine treatments and three replications. being as follows: T1 (King G 75% + Val 25%), T2 (King G 65% + Val 35%), T3 (King G 50% + Val 50%), T4 (King G 75% + GW 25%), T5 (King G 65% + GW 35%), T6 (King G 50% + GW 50%), T7 (King G 75% + GN 25%), T8 (King G 65% + GN 35%), and T9 (King G 50% + GN 50%).

2.4. Chemical composition

Prior to incubation, representative samples of the material to be analysed were collected and after drying in a Memmert oven at 65°C for 48 hours, they were crushed in a Thomas Willy mill with a 2 mm sieve to determine the dry matter (DM) content according to the methods of AOAC (2000), neutral detergent fibre (NDF) and acid detergent fibre (ADF) using the procedure of Van Soest et al. (1991).

2.5. In situ degradability

To evaluate ruminal degradation, the in situ ruminal degradability methodology (DRIS) described by Ørskov (1991) was used. For this procedure. polysilk bags (10 × 5 cm) with 56 microns porosity were used, which were previously dried at a temperature of 65ºC for 48 hours in a Memmert oven and then weighed. In each bag, 10 g of the experimental diets were placed. The bags were incubated in the rumen in triplicate for each diet under study using Brahman cattle of 500 kg ± 25 kg live weight. castrated and fistulated. Incubation times were 0, 3, 6, 12, 24, 48 and 72 hours. This procedure was carried out in strict adherence to animal welfare protocols. with regular veterinary checks to ensure the health and care of the animals. After incubation, the bags were removed and washed under running water until clear water was obtained. They were then dried in an oven at 60°C for 48 hours and reweighed to determine the disappearance of DM, NDF and ADF.

2.6. Statistical analysis

All statistical analyses were performed with the statistical software SAS version v. 9.4. (SAS Institute Inc., Cary, NC), the effect of treatments on chemical composition, rumen fermentation parameters and effective degradability of the treatments were analysed with the GLM procedure. Means were obtained with the PDIFF option of SAS and compared with a Tukey test. Differences were declared at P ≥ 0.05. while statistical trends at P < 0.10.

3. Results

Table 1 shows the DM values of the diets under study. As time passes, there is an increase in degradability under in situ conditions, being higher at 72 hours. In situ DM degradability showed differences (P < 0.05) between treatments at different incubation times, with T9 (74.88%) prevailing at 72 hours followed by T8 (71.51%) which is statistically equal to T7, T6, T5, T4, T3 and statistically different (P < 0.05) to T2 and T1. In the grass × banana interaction, DM showed significant increases in the seven times of ruminal degradation (P > 0.05), being the diet King grass 50% and banana variety Grand Nain (GN) with levels of 50% the one that reached the highest degradability at 72 hours (Figure 1). The potential degradability parameter showed no significant statistical differences between treatments (P > 0.05), with the highest numerical value in treatment 9 King grass 50%. GN 50% (77.63%).

Table 1
In situ rumen degradability of dry matter of King grass plus the addition of three varieties of banana rejects at different levels in Quevedo, Los Ríos Province, Ecuador.

	Treatments									P = value
Incubation time	T1	T2	T3	T4	T5	T6	T7	T8	T9	A	B	Interaction
	Kingrass75% Valery 25%	Kingrass 65% Valery 35%	Kingrass 50% Valery 50%	Kingrass75% GW 25%	Kingrass 65% GW 35%	Kingrass50% GW 50%	Kingrass75% GN 25%	Kingrass 65% GN 35%	Kingrass 50% GN 50%	Grass	Banana	A × B
0	16.22 a	20.30 ab	19.73 ab	23.61 abc	22.96 abc	23.36 abc	27.38 bc	31.77 c	20.65 ab	0.1229	0.0015	0.0675
3	24.86 a	26.61 a	27.15 a	30.34 a	31.18 a	31.76 ab	32.78 ab	39.50 b	33.01 ab	0.1229	<0.0015	0.0675
6	31.75 a	31.88 ab	33.28 abc	35.88 abc	37.84 c	38.54 cd	37.36 bc	45.61 e	43.90 de	0.0016	<0.0001	0.0253
12	41.65 ab	40.03 a	42.55 abc	44.24 abc	47.64 bc	48.50 cd	44.68 abc	54.34 cd	56.13 e	0.0002	<0.0001	0.0029
24	52.01 a	49.99 a	53.34 ab	54.03 abc	58.60 bcd	59.47 cd	54.45 abc	63.65 de	67.95 e	<0.0001	<0.0001	0.0003
48	58.06 a	58.12 a	61.10 ab	61.44 ab	66.20 bc	66.69 bc	64.77 bc	69.87 cd	73.99 d	0.0001	<0.0001	0.1111
72	59.13 a	60.78 ab	63.04 abc	63.51 abc	68.13 abcd	68.28 abcd	70.08 bcd	71.51 cd	74.88 d	0.0448	<0.0001	0.9038

• ^a,b,c,d
  Means with different letters in the same row differ statistically to P < 0.05.

Figure 1
DM degradability of banana-grass diets at 72 hours.

Table 2 shows that the potential degradability (PD) parameter does not show significant statistical differences between treatments. the highest numerical value being treatment 9 King grass 50% GN 50% (77.63%). As for the effective degradability, the highest numerical value (67.12%) was observed at 2 h (51.31%) at 5 h and (51.12%) at 8 hours. In this sense, the higher content of structural carbohydrates (cellulose, hemicellulose) could be related to these results, since carbohydrates by their type of structure and quantity stored in the pasture determine their digestibility or availability for ruminal bacteria

Table 2
. In situ Rumen Degradability of Neutral Detergent Fibre from King grass plus the addition of three banana varieties of rejection at different levels in Quevedo, Los Ríos Province, Ecuador.

Incubation time	Treatments									A	B	Interaction
	T1	T2	T3	T4	T5	T6	T7	T8	T9
	Kingrass75%	Kingrass65%	Kingrass50%	Kingrass75%	Kingrass65%	Kingrass50%	Kingrass75%	Kingrass65%	Kingrass50%	Pasto	Banana	A × B
	Valery 25%	Valery 35%	Valery 50%	GW 25%	GW 35%	GW 50%	GN 25%	GN 35%	GN 50%
0	18.79 a	22.46 ab	25.72 a	16.69 a	19.97 ab	20.22 ab	20.91 ab	23.10 ab	19.16 ab	0.021	0.022	0.047
3	20.23 a	23.84 ab	25.75 a	18.41 a	23.34 ab	22.61 ab	22.56 a b	25.19 ab	21.12 ab	0.016	0.289	0.159
6	21.59 a	25.12 ab	29.81 b	20.04 a	25.85 ab	24.80 ab	24.06 ab	27.08 ab	22.96 ab	0.005	0.303	0.036
12	24.11 a	27.44 ab	33.35 b	23.05 a	29.33 ab	28.67 ab	26.68 ab	30.41 ab	26.36 ab	0.004	0.649	0.050
24	28.43 a	31.32 ab	39.10 b	28.23 a	33.48 ab	34.83 ab	30.79 a	35.70 ab	32.14 ab	0.002	0.852	0.061
48	34.90 a	37.22 ab	47.12 b	35.97 a	38.68 ab	43.30 ab	36.36 a	43.12 ab	40.74 ab	0.0009	0.902	0.097
72	39.46 a	41.76 ab	52.36 b	41.35 ab	42.50 ab	49.03 a	40.10 a	48.28 ab	46.77 ab	0.0008	0.920	0.150

• a,b Means with different letters in the same row differ statistically to P < 0.05.

The results showed the highest rumen degradation of NDF in T3 (52.36%) at 72 hours which was statistically equal to T2. T4. T5. T8. and T9 and different from T6 and T7, at that hour of incubation (p) (Table 2). The interactions can be seen in (Figure 2). where the King grass 50% and Valery 50% diet obtained better response. On the other hand. potential degradability degradability rate (Kd) did not present significant statistical differences for this variable (P > 0.05) (Table 2). Regarding the in situ degradability of FDA, T1 showed a (30.86%) but did not differ statistically from the rest of the treatments at 72 hours of incubation (Table 2; P > 0.05). The differences in response in the interactions of the two factors grass by banana can be seen in (Figure 3) being the King grass 75% with Valery 25% the one with the best response (P > 0.05). While PD and degradation rate (Kd) showed no significant differences (P > 0.05; Table 2).

Figure 2
NDF degradability of banana-grass diets at 72 hours

Figure 3
FDA degradability of banana-grass diets at 72 hours.

The potential degradability (PD) of NDF is shown in Table 3. The values of the treatments do not differ statistically with the highest value numerically being treatment 9 King grass 50%. GN 50% (82.07%). The effective degradability in the different rates did not present statistical differences (P > 0.05), with the highest percentage found in T3 with a 50% inclusion of King grass and 50% Valery rejection banana. 2% h^-1 (42.36%) 5% h^-1 (35.78%) and 8 h^-1 (32.80%). Table 3. presents the PD and effective degradability of FDA. with PD reaching a numerical value of 73.31% in the treatment including 65% King grass and 35% Great Williams (GW). The effective degradability of FDA varies according to the rates with the treatment containing 75% King grass and 25% Valery showing values of 24.92% at 2% h^-1, 19.78% at 5% h^-1 and 17.82% at 8% h^-1. These results may be related to the characteristics of the feed and the content of non-structural carbohydrates such as starch and sugars present in the treatments.

Table 3
. In situ Rumen Degradability of Acid Detergent Fibre from King grass plus the addition of three varieties of banana rejects at different levels in Quevedo, Los Ríos Province, Ecuador.

Incubation time	T1	T2	T3	T4	T5	T6	T7	T8	T9	A	B	Interaction
	Kingrass75%	Kingrass65%	Kingrass50%	Kingrass75%	Kingrass65%	Kingrass50%	Kingrass75%	Kingrass65%	Kingrass50%	Grass	Banana	A × B
	Valery 25%	Valery 35%	Valery 50%	GW 25%	GW 35%	GW 50%	GN 25%	GN 35%	GN 50%
0	13.27 a	10.06 a	11.13 a	9.07 a	10.79 a	11.14 a	8.82 a	8.81 a	8.8 0 a	0.8779	0.0774	0.4263
3	14.60 a	10.95 a	12.40 a	9.67 a	11.42 a	12.74 a	9.65 a	10.56 a	10.37 a	0.6445	0.0497	1192
6	15.85 b	11.76 ab	13.52 ab	10.26 a	12.01 ab	14.15 ab	10.45 a	11.99 a b	11.77 ab	0.3464	0.0446	0.0340
12	18.13 b	13.18 ab	15.39 ab	11.39 a	13.11 ab	16.50 ab	11.91 a	14.14 ab	15.09 ab	0.0838	0.1168	0.0195
24	25.70 a	18.27 a	21.54 a	17.07 a	18.26 a	24.22 a	18.20 a	19.91 a	22.12 a	0.0787	0.4035	0.0562
48	23.51 b	15.38 ab	18.12 ab	13.48 a	15.06 ab	19.92 ab	14.42 ab	16.84 ab	17.67 ab	0.2140	0.1418	0.0273
72	30.86 a	20.10 a	23.84 a	20.00 a	20.91 a	27.14 a	20.88 a	22.05 a	25.05 a	0.1995	0.5467	0.1218

• a,b Means with different letters in the same row differ statistically to P < 0.05.

The different DM fractions presented a low soluble fraction ‘a’ and a higher potentially degradable fraction ‘b’ a low degradation rate (kd %h^-1) and high effective degradability (estimated with a passage rate of 8% h^-1; Table 4). While for NDF and FDA a low fraction ‘a’. a higher fraction ‘b’ a low degradation rate (kd %h^-1) and low effective degradability at 8% h^-1; Table 5 and 6) were found.

Table 4
. Dry matter degradation kinetics of King grass (Pennisetum schum and typhoides) with inclusion of residues of three banana varieties.

	a. g/ kg of DM	b. g/ kg of DM	c. h-1	DP %	kd	DE 2%h-1	DE 5%h-1	DE 8% h-1
Treatments
1 King G.75% Val 25%	16.22 a	46.09 a	37.69 a	62.31 a	0.08 ab	52.52 a	43.78 a	38.84 a
2 king G. 65%Val 35%	20.30 ab	42.07 a	37.63 a	62.37 a	0.05 a	50.28 a	41.56 a	36.84 a
3 King G. 50%Val 50%	19.73 ab	47.16 ab	33. 11a	66.89 a	0.06 a	54.80 a	45.17 a	39.72 a
4King G. 75% GW 25%	23.61abc	42.48 a	33.91 a	66.09 a	0.06 a	54. 97a	46.29 ab	41.43 a
5 King 65%GW 35%	22.96 abc	44.91 ab	32.13 a	67.87 a	0.07 a	56.84 abc	47.90 ab	42.75 ab
6King 50% GW 50%	23.36 a	46.02 ab	30.62 a	69.38 a	0.07 a	58.76 abc	49.75 abc	44.43 ab
7 King G 75%GN 25%	27.38 bc	43.59 a	29.03 a	70.97 a	0.04 a	54.16 ab	45.32 a	41.06 a
8King G.65% GN 35%	31.77 c	40.97 a	27.27 a	72.73 a	0.07 a	62.73 bc	54.72 bc	50.10 b
9King G.50% GN 50%	23.47 abc	54.20 b	22.32 a	77.63 a	0.08 a	62.12 c	57.31 c	51.12 ab
SEM	1.21	1.08	1.88	1.88	0.01	1.30	1.08	0.99
CV	15.70	7.18	17.90	8.24	29.89 a	6.86	6.75	6.91
Grass	0.2189	0.0016	0.1958	0.1958	0.4283	0.0116	0.0074	0.0117
Banana	0.0004	0.5147	0.0063	0.0063	0.9593	0.0008	0.0001	0.0001
A × B	0.2048	0.0306	0.9746	0.9746	0.1515	0.1225	0.0417	0.0501

• DM, Dry matter; soluble fraction ^a; potentially degradable fraction ^b; hourly degradation rate of b^c; PD: potential degradability (a+b); Kd: degradation rate; DE DM: degradability; Kd: degradation rate. Dry matter. respectively. at a rumen passage rate of 2%; 5%; 8% h^-1.
• ^a.,b,cMeans with common letters are not significantly different (P > 0.05).

Table 5
Degradation kinetics of neutral detergent fibre degradation of King grass (Pennisetum schum and typhoides) with inclusion of residues of three banana varieties.

Treatments	a% NDF	b % NDF	c h-1	DP. %	kd	DE 2% h-1	DE 5% h-1	DE 8% h-1
1 King G.75% Val 25%	18.79 a	35.21 a	46.00 a	54.00 a	0.02 a	32.40 a	26.13 a	23.85 a
2 king G. 65%Val 35%	22.89 ab	50.56 a	26.56 a	73.44 a	0.02 a	35.94 ab	29.70 ab	27.59 ab
3 King G. 50%Val 50%	25.72 b	39.96 a	34.32 a	65.68 a	0.02 a	43.46 b	33.78 ab	32.80 b
4King G. 75% GW 25%	16.69 a	41.39 a	41.91 a	58.09 a	0.02 a	32.90 a	25.47 a	22.74 a
5 King 65%GW 35%	19.97 ab	37.78 a	42.25 a	57.75 a	0.05 a	36.26 ab	30.36 ab	27.96 ab
6King 50% GW 50%	20.22 ab	49.98 a	29.80 a	70.20 a	0.02 a	39.70 ab	31.22 ab	28.01 ab
7 King G 75%GN 25%	20.91 ab	34.80 a	44.28 a	55.72 a	0.02 a	33.93 a	28.34 a	26.20 ab
8King G.65% GN 35%	23.10 ab	41.44 a	35.46 a	64.54 a	0.03 a	40.04 ab	32.63 ab	29.84 ab
9King G.50% GN 50%	19.16 ab	62.91 a	17.93 a	82.07 a	0.03 a	37.42 ab	29.03 ab	25.98 ab
SEM	0.76	4.13	4.22	abr-22	0.01	0.97	0.85	0.82
CV	11.00	28.28	35.74	19.57	83.25	7.90	8.54	9.05
Grass	0.0168	0.0897	0.0404	0.0404	0.3440	0.0003	0.0009	0.0117
Banana	0.0168	0.7327	0.6661	0.6661	0.5216	0.7455	0.4545	0.3053
A × B	0.0493	0.2005	0.3973	0.3973	0.5147	0.0820	0.0346	0.0302

• NDF soluble fraction^a; Potentially degradable fraction^b; hourly degradation rate of b^c; PD: potential degradability (a+b); Kd: degradation rate; DE NDF: degradability NDF. respectively. at a rumen passage rate of 2%; 5%; 8% h-1.
• a,b,c Means with common letters are not significantly different (P>0.05).

Table 6
Degradation kinetics of detergent acid fibre degradation of King grass (Pennisetum schum and typhoides) with inclusion of residues of three banana varieties.

Trata	a . % ADF	b . % ADF	c . h-1	DP. %	kd	DE 2% h-1	DE 5% h-1	DE 8% h-1
1 King G.75% Val 25%	13.27 a	28.63 a	58.10 a	41.90 a	0.02 a	24.92 a	19.78 b	17.82 b
2 king G. 65%Val 35%	10.06 a	15.24 a	74.70 a	25.30 a	0.03 a	16.86 a	14.03 ab	12.91 ab
3 King G. 50%Val 50%	11.13 a	26.43 a	62.44 a	37.56 a	0.04 a	20.04 a	16.36 ab	14.93 ab
4King G. 75% GW 25%	9.07 a	26.06 a	64.92 a	35.08 a	0.01 a	16.22 a	12.54 a	11.36 a
5 King 65%GW 35%	10.79 a	62.52 a	26.69 a	73.31 a	0.01 a	17.71 a	14.13 ab	13.04 ab
6King 50% GW 50%	11.14 a	37.73 a	51.12 a	48.88 a	0.03 a	18.43 a	14.84 a	13.39 ab
7 King G 75%GN 25%	8.82 a	20.97 a	70.22 a	29.78 a	0.02 a	16.76 a	13.09 a	11.76a
8King G.65% GN 35%	8.81 a	46.31 a	44.89 a	55.11 a	0.03 a	18.43 a	14.84 a	13.39 ab
9King G.50% GN 50%	8.80 a	40.20 a	51.00 a	49.00 a	0.03 a	20.16 a	15.42 ab	13.60 ab
SEM	0.77	9.49	9.70	9.70	0.01	1.15	0.72	0.64
CV	22.72	86.03	51.36	67.20	81.91	18.08	14.29	14.0
Grass	0.8779	0.4960	0.5295	0.5295	0.1974	0.1759	0.1348	0.1902
Banana	0.0774	0.3894	0.4590	0.4590	0.4331	0.3768	0.0863	0.0537
A × B	0.4263	0.6057	0.5577	0.5577	0.8091	0.0616	0.0159	0.0180

• FDA soluble fraction^a; potentially degradable fraction^b; hourly degradation rate of b^c; PD: potential degradability (a+b); Kd: degradation rate; DE FDA: degradability FDA. respectively. at a rumen passage rate of 2% ; 5%; 8% h-1.
• a,b,c Means with common letters are not significantly different (P>0.05).

4. Discussion

Pennisetum purpureum, commonly known as Napier grass, is an important forage species renowned for its high biomass yield and nutritional quality, making it particularly suitable for livestock feeding during the dry season (Liu et al., 2009). However, the effective forage utilization depends on its degradability, especially in terms of dry matter (DM) and crude protein (CP) content. Studies have indicated that DM degradability can vary significantly depending on species, time of harvest and preservation methods, which affects the overall nutritional benefits for ruminants (Alvarado-Ramírez et al., 2023). Current literature on silage of Pennisetum purpureum amended with plantain crop residues has mainly focused on differences between residue types (peel, pseudostem and leaf hay) rather than differences between plantain varieties per se (Randa et al., 2018). It is important to note that none of the reviewed studies explicitly compared different banana varieties or cultivars with respect to their influence on in situ DM and fibre degradability of P. purpureum silage. Therefore, these studies provide valuable information on how the choice of banana residue affects the dry matter (DM) content and in situ fibre degradability of the silage. The results obtained on dry matter (DM) degradation of king grass and banana are consistent with previous studies. According to Barrera-Alvarez et al. (2016), the in situ DM degradability of King grass cut at 45 days reached 77.43%, a value close to that reported in our research. However, Valles de la Mora et al. (2016) found higher degradability for Pennisetum samples (81.0%; P < 0.05) which may be attributed to differences in experimental conditions or forage management. Likewise, degradability was observed to decrease with increasing age at cutting. decreasing to 67% at 12 weeks a pattern consistent with our observations.

As for the Cavendish banana residue. the results of Barrera-Álvarez et al. (2016) showed a DM degradation of 57.44% at 72 hours and 58.73% at 96 hours with a potential degradation of 59.84%. These values lower compared to those obtained in our study, can be explained by the composition of the materials used; while they used green leaves stems and rachis in our research we used pieces of reject banana specifically peel and pulp which have a higher intrinsic degradability. Research incorporating banana pseudostem hay consistently reports improvements in both DM degradability and fibre breakdown. In one study, the inclusion of banana pseudostem hay significantly increased the slowly degradable ‘b’ fraction and potential degradability of the silage, partly due to the structural arrangement of the pseudostem fibres that promotes microbial action (Silva et al., 2021). In addition, the long ruminal microbial colonisation times observed with pseudostem hay indicate a more efficient fibre degradation process, with a corresponding reduction in the undegradable fraction of DM and neutral detergent fibre (NDF) (Rabelo et al., 2020). In contrast, banana leaf hay, although effective in substantially increasing the DM content and crude protein concentration of the silage, tends to result in a higher undegradable fraction. This result is probably due to the high lignin and tannin content in banana leaf residues, which can inhibit microbial access and activity on fibre components, thus reducing overall fibre degradability (Randa et al., 2018). Finally, Contreras et al. (2019a) observed a stabilisation in the mean degradability of DM and neutral detergent fibre (NDF) after 48 hours, without statistically significant differences (P > 0.05). Although their results are numerically higher than those obtained at 72 hours in our research. Discrepancies that could be related to the proportions of King grass and banana varieties used in our experiment.

The results obtained highlight the relevance of assessing the quality and nutrient content of ruminant feeds, taking into account rumen degradability, digestibility and metabolic efficiency (Lei et al., 2017; Mathison et al., 1999). Rumen degradability, defined as the amount of feed that disappears in the rumen by microbial action, is a key indicator of nutrient supply to the diet and the balance between the needs of rumen microorganisms and animal tissues (Castro-Montoya et al., 2018). This coincides with Elizondo-Salazar and Monge-Rojas (2020) who emphasise that rumen degradability is essential to meet the nutritional demands of animals and maximise their performance.

The study of rumen degradation dynamics is fundamental to ensure the formulation of balanced and sustainable diets. Currently, methods such as in situ analysis using nylon bags have proven to be the most effective for assessing feed degradation in the rumen (Ponce-Quispe and Merlo-Maydana, 2020). However, this approach is not without its challenges, especially with regard to ethical and animal welfare implications. As suggested by Contreras et al. (2019b) this method provides accurate data on the kinetics of nutrient degradation, allowing for improved feeding strategies, although it requires careful evaluations to minimise the impact on the animals.

The integration of methods such as in situ analysis in feeding research provides a practical approach to optimise ruminant nutrition while addressing emerging animal welfare concerns (Hadjipanayiotou et al., 1996; Ledea et al., 2016). This underlines the need to move towards innovative technologies that maintain measurement accuracy while reducing the experimental impact on animal subjects. The results obtained on the in situ degradability of NDF and FDF reflect the importance of considering the physiological changes associated with the advancing maturity of ruminant feeds. The study shows that degradation reaches values of 43.37% and 34.17% at 72 hours, respectively, which is in agreement with the findings of Ponce-Quispe and Merlo-Maydana (2020). These values highlight that, as plant foods mature, structural modifications are generated that hinder bacterial adhesion and subsequent digestion, as reported by Contreras et al. (2019b). Likewise. the estimation of the fractions ‘a, b, Kd and DE 8% h^-1 of dry matter (DM). neutral detergent fibre (NDF) and acid detergent fibre (ADF) provides evidence on the variability of degradability parameters according to the origin of the feed. Compared to the data of Jaime et al. (2021), the identified variability could be attributed to the use of industrial by-products. such as those derived from the paper industry. suggesting that specific physicochemical properties of the feed have a significant impact on ruminal degradation. The use of the nylon bag technique to determine the ruminal degradability of feeds highlights its practical utility Foskolos et al. (2015) as it allows the formulation of rations that are more accurate and aligned with the nutritional needs of both ruminal microorganisms and animals in production (Ørskov et al., 1980). This approach not only favours the productive performance, but also the reproductive performance of ruminants, reaffirming its relevance in sustainable feeding systems.

5. Conclusion

The combination of King Grass with banana in specific proportions constitutes a high-quality diet for ruminants due to its excellent ruminal degradability, optimizing the availability of fermentable energy. A 50:50 ratio of King Grass and banana (Grand Nain or Valery) is optimal for maximizing the degradation of dry matter and neutral detergent fiber, while a 75:25 ratio of King Grass and Valery banana is more effective for acid detergent fiber. These formulations ensure higher digestibility and superior energy contribution, thereby enhancing feed efficiency and productive performance in ruminant animals.

Data Availability Statement

The datasets generated and/or analyzed during the current study are available from the corresponding author on reasonable request.

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Edited by

• Editor:
  Takako Matsumura Tundisi

Publication Dates

• Publication in this collection
  26 Jan 2026
• Date of issue
  2025

History

• Received
  19 Aug 2025
• Accepted
  13 Oct 2025