Effect of Replacing Corn Meal with Winged Bean Tuber (Psophocarpus tetragonolobus) Pellet on Gas Production, Ruminal Fermentation, and Degradability Using In Vitro Gas Technique

Simple Summary The increasing expenses of animal feed, which are affected by the prices of protein and carbohydrates, emphasize the need for alternate sources of protein. Thailand is now doing research on tropical legumes, with a special focus on winged beans. The tubers of winged beans, which are rich in carbohydrates and protein, provide a viable alternative to animal feed. The process of pelletizing winged bean tubers has many benefits, including enhanced durability and prolonged preservation. This makes it a feasible substitute for corn meal in animal feed. The research assesses the replacement of corn meal with winged bean tuber pellets in ruminant diets, examining its impact on ruminal fermentation, gas production, and in vitro degradability. Abstract The objective of this study is to evaluate the effects of replacing corn meal in ruminant diets with winged bean (Psophocarpus tetragonolobus) tubers (WBT) on ruminal fermentation, gas production parameters, and in vitro degradability. The study employed a completely random design (CRD) in its execution. The experimental design employed was a completely randomized design (CRD), featuring eleven levels of corn meal substitution with winged bean tubers pellet (WBTP) at 0%, 10%, 20%, 30%, 40%, 50%, 60%, 70%, 80%, 90%, and 100%. The levels were grouped into four categories of replacement: control (0% in the diet), low levels (10%, 20%, and 30% in the diet), medium levels (40%, 50%, 60%, and 70% in the diet), and high levels (80%, 90%, and 100% in the diet). The experimental results indicated that substituting corn meal with WBTP at moderate and high levels in the diet could improve the performance of the fermentation process by increasing the gas production rate constant from the insoluble fraction (p < 0.01). The IVDMD exhibited a higher degree of in vitro degradation after 12 h (h), with the mean value being higher in the high group compared to the medium until the high group (p < 0.05). At the 4 h mark, the groups that substituted corn meal with WBTP exhibited a decrease in pH value (p < 0.05) in comparison to the control group. The substitution of corn meal with WBTP resulted in the lowest protozoal count after 8 h in the median group (p < 0.05). A significant difference in the effect of WBTP on total volatile fatty acid (TVFA) concentration was observed at 8 h after incubation (p < 0.05). The medium and high levels of WBTP replacement resulted in the lowest TVFA concentration at 8 h (p < 0.05). The mean proportion of acetic acid (C2) linearly declined and was lowest when a high level of WBTP replaced cornmeal (p < 0.05). The concentration of propionic acid (C3) at 8 h after incubation and average values were linearly significantly different when various levels of WBTP were utilized. Replacing corn meal with WBTP at a high level showed the highest concentration of C3. Moreover, substituting medium and high concentrations of WBTP for corn meal resulted in a significant reduction in both the C2:C3 ratio at 8 h and the mean value (p < 0.05). In conclusion, WBTP exhibits a nutritional composition that is advantageous and may be an energetic substitute for corn meal.