Ruminal degradation of the dry matter of the cuajilote fruit (Parmentiera edulis) [Degradaci�n ruminal de la materia seca del fruto cuajilote (Parmentiera edulis)]

This study had the aim to estimate the ruminal degradability and kinetic degradative of the dry matter (MS) of the cuajilote fruit (Parmentiera edulis DC) in three states of maturity collected during the dry season in a humid warm climate region of the coast at Chiapas state, Mexico, to analyze its forage potential. The technique of nylon bag was applied with heifers permanently fissured of rumen (being used like experimental units) that grazed star of Africa grass and a supplementation with 400 g/d of concentrate (grain of ground sorghum, paste of soya and minerals). They were incubated in rumen, 5 g of ground of cuajilote sample (chilillos, green, and mature) in nylon bags (large: 10 x 5 cm and pore: 52 ?) in periods of 0, 4, 8, 12, 24, 36, 48, and 72 h. The treatments (maturity states) were distributed in a completely random design with four repetitions by treatment. The disappearance of the MS (DISMS, %) of the chilillos was twice greater (P<0.001) than the green, although smaller than the DISMS of the mature fruit. The type of MS fluctuated (P<0,001) depending on the maturity state, showing that degradable MS and soluble MS were more elevated in the mature fruit, followed by the chilillos and the greens (14,6 and 7.3 vs. 1,5%, as well as 29,3, 25,2 vs. 15,7%, respectively). On the other side, the degradable MS of the mature fruit begins to degrade more rapidly (0.0, 1.6, and 1.8 h for mature, chilillos, and greens, respectively) and a faster rate than the chilillos or greens (0.04 vs 0.03). The potential digestibility of the MS (%) was higher (P