Integrated and Sustainable Agriculture
Vol 1 No 2 (2024): Integrated and Sustainable Agriculture

Integrated Ruminant Feeding Systems Utilizing Agro-Industrial By-Products Through Elephant Grass-Based Silage

Azhary, Ahmad (Unknown)
Munir (Unknown)
Semaun, Rahmawati (Unknown)



Article Info

Publish Date
25 Oct 2024

Abstract

Integrated ruminant feeding systems utilizing agro-industrial by-products offer a sustainable solution to feed constraints in tropical livestock production. This study evaluated the physical quality and fermentation characteristics of elephant grass–based complete feed silage formulated with different proportions of tofu by-product and rice bran. A completely randomized design with four silage formulations was applied. Silage was anaerobically fermented for 21 days and assessed for organoleptic properties (aroma, color, texture, and fungal growth) and pH value. The results showed that silage formulation did not significantly affect aroma, texture, or pH (P>0.05), with all treatments exhibiting characteristics of good-quality silage, including a pleasant acidic aroma, compact texture, and acceptable pH values ranging from 3.93 to 4.50. In contrast, fungal growth and color were significantly influenced by treatment (P<0.01). Increasing the proportion of rice bran reduced fungal growth and improved silage color, indicating enhanced fermentation stability. The formulation with the highest rice bran proportion demonstrated the most favorable overall silage quality. In conclusion, elephant grass–based complete feed silage integrated with agro-industrial by-products can produce stable and high-quality silage. These findings support the development of integrated and sustainable ruminant feeding strategies that improve resource efficiency and promote circular agriculture.

Copyrights © 2024






Journal Info

Abbrev

insagri

Publisher

Subject

Agriculture, Biological Sciences & Forestry Environmental Science

Description

Integrated and Sustainable Agriculture (e-ISSN 3063-3583) is a multidisciplinary journal that examines agricultural system phenomena in general, as well as interactions between fields of knowledge through integrated and sustainable agriculture. The integration system includes agriculture, animal ...