Determination of digestibility of tomato pulp for ruminants

The aim of the study was to determine the in vitro true digestibility of tomato pulp for ruminants. Tomato pulp sampled total three times biweekly intervals was used as feed material in the study. Dry matter, ash, crude protein, neutral detergent fiber (NDF) and acid detergent fiber (ADF) contents of tomato pulp were determined by chemical analysis, and its digestibility for ruminants was estimated by in vitro fermentation system. The average dry matter content of fresh tomato pulp was 22.15%. The dry matter content, ash, crude protein, neutral detergent fiber and acid detergent fiber as dry matter basis values of tomato pulp were 92.20, 4.11, 19.46, 56.91 and 49.48%, respectively. Digestible dry matter value, dry matter intake and relative feed value were calculated 50.35, 2.10 and 82.31% (fourth quality), respectively. The rate of in vitro true dry matter and neutral detergent fiber digestibility values of tomato pulp were 68.70 and 23.60 %, respectively. It may be concluded that tomato pulp can be used as an alternative feedstaff such as soybean hulls, fruit pulp and some tropical plants adding to conventional forages in ruminant diets