Rumen liquor as inoculums for in-vitro gas production technique for feed evaluation | Livestock and Fisheries Management (Livestock Feeds)
Description of the technology or innovation
Rumen liquor from slaughtered cattle can be used for feedevaluation using in-vitro gas production technique; even in the absence of a CO2delivery system. Since this source of liquor is easily accessible, foragegermplasm improvement programmes in developing countries can adopt in-vitro gastechniques in routine forage evaluation. Gas systems tend to underestimateMetabolisable Energy (ME) in tropical forages. Therefore, calibration of thesystem with in-vivo data is needed to improve accuracy. This laboratorytechnique validated the use of rumen liquor from slaughtered cattle as a sourceof inoculum for in-vitro gas production and feed evaluation in the absence ofCO2 supply and justified the use of the protocol as a tool in forage germplasmevaluation and development of feed database in developing countries.
Assessment/reflection on utilization, dissemination & scaling out or up approaches used
The primary beneficiaries of this technique are scientists andlaboratory technicians in feed analysis laboratories. The technique wasvalidated through stakeholder consultations.
Current situation and future scaling up
This protocol has potential to be used as a tool in foragegermplasm evaluation and development of feed database in developing countries.This in effect means that the tool has a potential to boost production ofimproved animal feeds in the target areas. The innovation should bedisseminated among potential users using available knowledge networks andplatforms.
Economic Considerations
This laboratory technique can result in saving money otherwisespent on alternatives. This technique is quite affordable as it puts to use aproduct that would otherwise be wasted.
Gender considerations
The tool is gender sensitive since itconsiders both gender categories of scientists, and technicians who areexpected to be the ultimate beneficiaries of the technology in the near future.
Additional information
Gas systems can be used to rank feeds in preliminary evaluationtrials; especially when PF ratios are available. In order to account for likelyvariations in liquor quality from that collected at the slaughter house,inclusion of standards of known gas production capacity is proposed under idealconditions to provide for adjustment factors when incubated with rumen liquorfrom abattoir wastes.