Preserving Saccharina latissima and Porphyra umbilicalis in Multinutrient Blocks: An In Vitro Evaluation

Carlos N. Marcos, Trinidad de Evan, Eduarda Molina-Alcaide, Margarita Novoa-Garrido, Martin Riis Weisbjerg and María Dolores Carro ()
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Carlos N. Marcos: Departamento de Producción Agraria, Escuela Técnica Superior de Ingeniería Agronómica, Alimentaria y de Biosistemas, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, Ciudad Universitaria, 28040 Madrid, Spain
Trinidad de Evan: Departamento de Producción Agraria, Escuela Técnica Superior de Ingeniería Agronómica, Alimentaria y de Biosistemas, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, Ciudad Universitaria, 28040 Madrid, Spain
Eduarda Molina-Alcaide: Estación Experimental del Zaidin (Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Cientificas), Profesor Albareda, 1, 18008 Granada, Spain
Margarita Novoa-Garrido: Faculty of Biosciences and Aquaculture, Nord University, PB 1490, 8049 Bodø, Norway
Martin Riis Weisbjerg: Department of Animal and Veterinary Sciences, Research Centre Foulum, Aarhus University, AU Viborg, Blichers Allé 20, 8830 Tjele, Denmark
María Dolores Carro: Departamento de Producción Agraria, Escuela Técnica Superior de Ingeniería Agronómica, Alimentaria y de Biosistemas, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, Ciudad Universitaria, 28040 Madrid, Spain

Agriculture, 2023, vol. 13, issue 2, 1-13

Abstract: Seaweeds could be alternative feedstuffs for ruminants, but their utilization in practical feeding is difficult because they deteriorate rapidly. We investigated the possibility of preserving Saccharina latissima and Porphyra umbilicalis in multinutrient blocks (MB), which is a cost-effective preservation method for high-moisture feeds. Three different MB were prepared: without seaweed (control; CMB), with 25% of fresh S. latissima (SLMB), and with 36% of fresh P. umbilicalis (PUMB). Both seaweeds and MB were fermented in vitro with ruminal fluid from sheep. The nitrogen and fiber content of P. umbilicalis was 4- and 4.5-fold greater, respectively, than in S. latissima , but P. umbilicalis produced less gas than S. latissima . Both CMB and PUMB had similar in vitro dry matter degradability (65.8 and 65.1%, respectively), but SLMB had lower values ( p < 0.05; 58.2%). There were no differences among MB in methane and total VFA production, but the VFA pattern was shifted to acetate in SLMB and to butyrate in PUMB. The results indicate that multinutrient blocks could be a feasible option to preserve and store seaweeds for ruminant feeding without compromising ruminal fermentation, but in vivo studies are needed to assess the effects on intake and animal performance.

Keywords: seaweeds; ruminal fermentation; energy; methane; in vitro (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q1 Q10 Q11 Q12 Q13 Q14 Q15 Q16 Q17 Q18 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
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