The influence of substituting corn meal with pellet feed from winged bean (Psophocarpus tetragonolobus) tuber in the diet of beef.

OBJECTIVE

The experiment aimed to evaluate the effects of replacing corn meal with winged bean tuber (Psophocarpus tetragonolobus) pellets (WBTP) on energy utilization efficiency in Thai indigenous beef cattle.

METHODS

A 4 × 4 Latin square design was employed, with corn meal substituted by WBTP in the concentrate diet as the independent variable. The four replacement levels were 0%, 33%, 66%, and 100% dry matter (DM).

RESULTS

The intake of nutrients was not affected by replacing cornmeal with WBTP (p > 0.05). Substituting WBTP for corn meal did not significantly alter energy utilization (p > 0.05). Furthermore, the digestibility of nutrients did not significantly differ across the various WBTP replacement levels. Ruminal pH ranged from 6.73 to 7.04. Blood urea nitrogen values, ranging from 5.50 to 8.75 mg/dL, fell within the typical range for tropical ruminants. No significant differences were observed in total volatile fatty acid concentrations, which ranged from 84.56 to 101.87 mM (p > 0.05). Similarly, the proportions of acetate, propionate, and butyrate remained unchanged (p > 0.05), despite the incorporation of WBTP into the concentrate as a replacement for corn meal.

CONCLUSION

This study highlights the potential of winged bean tuber pellets as a sustainable alternative to corn meal in the diets of Thai-native beef cattle. By replacing corn meal with WBTP at levels up to 100%, the study demonstrated no adverse effects on feed intake, nutrient digestibility, ruminal fermentation parameters, or energy efficiency.