In vitro degradability of protein from Brazil semiarid arboreal speccies

Abstract

This experiment was carried out to evaluate the protein degradability in vitro of arboreal plants from Brazilian semi-arid. The plants tested were angico (Anadenanthera colubrina), algaroba (Prosopis juliflora), espinheiro (Acacia glomerosa), juazeiro (Ziziphus joazeiro) and soybean meal, which had crude protein values of 22,5 16,0, 22,0, 19,0 and 38,0%, respectively. Samples (60 mg) were incubated with McDougal (8 ml) and inoculated ruminal fluid (2 ml). Aliquots (1 ml) were taking after 0, 6, 12, 24, 36 and 48 hours for analysis of ammonia, soluble protein and microbial protein. Soybean meal and the algaroba showed larger ammonia production and concentration of soluble protein compared to the other treatments. Soybean meal also displayed higher values for microbial protein. The treatment with angico was the one that displayed closed values towards soybean in regard to microbial protein, in spite of showing lesser ammonia production. The largest value of potential degradability 66,47%, was observed for the treatment with soybean meal, followed by the algaroba 46,27% and of the angico 45,20. Very low degradability was observed for the espinheiro and juazeiro, 19,16 e16,63%, respectively. Among the studied plants the angico and the algaroba were better sources of protein.