Quality of Wafer Complete Feed for Ruminant with Virgin Coconut Oil (VCO) Supplementation by Non-Heating Method

Abstract

This study aims to determine the quality of wafer with supplementation of protected Virgin Coconut Oil (VCO) made by the non-heating method. The ration of the wafer consisted of 30% rice straw, 30% concentrate, 30% indigofera, 5% molasses, and 5% VCO. The group of treatments were wafer supplemented with VCO (P0); wafer supplemented with VCO saponification (P1); wafer supplemented with VCO protected by formaldehyde (P2); wafer without VCO (P3); and wafer supplemented with VCO mixed on indigofera (P4). Each treatments were using six replications and tested for their physical quality, rancidity, and rumen fermentation characteristics and in vitro digestibility. The data obtained were analyzed using Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) and further tested with an Honestly Significant Difference (Hsd). The highest significant difference in physical quality of wafer (P<0.05) were found among treatments. The P4 group had the highest density (0.230 ± 0.16 g/cm3 ), while the P1 group had the highest absorption (77.60%). The P0 group had the highest thickness swelling (12.95 ± 0.04 %), while both of P1 and P3 had the highest texture hardness (52.20 ± 0.14 and 52.19 ± 0.14 mm/102 ) respectively. The P3 group had the lowest rancidity (2.04 ± 0.01 mmol/kg). The advantage of VCO protection with tanin (mix on indigofera) has the lower rancidity value (2.14 ± 0.09 mmol/kg) compared to wafers with VCO supplementation. In the addition of VCO without treatment (P0) increase the total digestibility of dry matter (78.89 ± 0.06%) and organic matter (78.49 ± 0.16%). Our results showed that VCO treatments have not negative effect on the rumen environment (pH and NH3 level), both protective and non-protective VCO, in the in vitro study. The findings that we can summarize are in the physical test treatments all of the groups has good quality and have not negative effect on the ruminal environment.