Objective

To characterize some indicators of cecal fermentation in diets of meal from Morus alba L. variety Yu 62.

Materials and Methods

The in vitro simulation of the digestive process in the cecal segment of the gastrointestinal tract was carried out. For such purpose, the ceca from nine fattening rabbits, of 2 kg live weight, of the hybrid breed (NZB x SGB), were used. A complete randomized design was used, in which the diets with inclusion of meal from M. alba variety Yu 62 (50 and 100 %) and Medicago sativa L. as control, were analyzed. Indicators of cecal fermentation (short chain fatty acids and pH) were determined and the data were analyzed in the INFOSTAT system.

Results

Significant differences (p < 0,001) were shown among the treatments, with marked increase of the concentration of total short-chain fatty acids, in the diets with inclusion of M. alba meal, when compared with the control M. sativa, which is due to a higher proportion of acetate and butyrate and lower proportion of propianate in the M. alba diets.

Conclusions

The mulberry forage meal constitutes an alternative feedstuff, which can substitute M. sativa in rabbit feeding and favor the cecal fermentation indicators.

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