Effect of Depotash Vinasse on Rumen Fermentation Kinetics in vitro

Vinasse is a by-product of distilleries which may be used in animal feeding otherwise it is a pollutant of water and soil. An in vitro experiment was conducted to observe the effect of molasses and depotash vinasse on rumen fermentation parameters such as in vitro dry matter digestibility (DMD), organic matter digestibility (OMD), ammonia nitrogen (NH₃-N), partition factor (PF) and microbial biomass production (MBP). Concentrate mixture, pellet with molasses (Pellet M) and pellet with depotash vinasse (pellet DPV) were prepared with same ingredients while pellet M contained 8% molasses and pellet DPV contained 8% depotash vinasse (as at this level binding was optimum) with little change of ingredients, chemical composition was similar. The substrate for the in vitro experiment comprised of concentrate mixture/pellet M/, pellet DPV individually and TMRs with concentrate/pellets, oat green and wheat straw in different proportions (40: 40: 20). The results revealed no noticeable changes due to addition of depotash vinasse and molasses pellets (upto 8%) on rumen fermentation parameters. DM, OM and crude protein (CP) digestibility was similar in all the groups. MBP and NH₃-N was also similar in all the groups. It was concluded that depotash vinasse can be used in pellet making and subsequent feeding to animals without any harmful effect on rumen fermentation parameters.