In vitro ruminal fermentation of Muntingia calabura and Bauhinia divaricata foliage alone and in combination with Pennisetum sp

The objetive of this study was to evaluate the ruminal fermentation characteristics of Bauhinia divaricata and Muntingia calabura foliages alone and combined with Pennisetum sp. Five treatments were evaluated: P = Pennisetum sp. (100%); Mc = M. calabura (100%); Bd = B. divaricata (100%); McP = M. calabura (30%)/Pennisetum sp. (70%), and BdP = B. divaricata (30%)/Pennisetum sp. (70%). The treatments with the highest in vitro dry matter degradability (DMD) were P, BdP, McP and Bd (> 50%) (P <= 0.05). There were no significant differences (P> 0.05) in gas production (GP) among treatments Bd, BdP, McP and P; however, Mc produced 35% less gas (P <= 0.05) than the other treatments. Conversely, Mc produced 153% more methane (CH4) than Bd (P <= 0.05), being Bd and BdP the treatments with the lowest CH4 production. No significant differences (P> 0.05) were observed in volatile fatty acid (VFA) concentration, except for acetic acid between Mc and P with Bd, and isovaleric acid between Mc and Bd (P <= 0.05). In conclusion, B. divaricata foliage decreased CH4 production and did not negatively affect other ruminal fermentation variables, thus representing a dietary alternative to reduce the ruminal methanogenesis of cattle in the tropics.