The influence of substituting corn meal with pelleted winged bean (Psophocarpus tetragonolobus) tuber on intake, digestion and rumen fermentation in beef cattle

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 used, with WBTP replacing corn meal in the concentrate diet as the independent variable. The four replacement levels were 0%, 33%, 66%, and 100% dry matter. 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 addition of WBTP into the concentrate as a replacement for corn meal. Conclusion: This study highlights the potential of WBTP as a sustainable alternative to corn meal in the diets of Thai-native beef cattle. The study found that replacing corn meal with WBTP at up to 100% had no negative adverse effects on feed intake, nutrient digestibility, ruminal fermentation parameters, or energy efficiency.