By Joshua Kato
Pineapple waste can be processed through ensiling, drying, pelleting and making feed blocks to enhance its quality and extend storage.
The nutritional value of pineapple fruit waste varies based on the pro-portions of different by-products; the cultivar, ripeness stage and juice extraction methods.
Pineapple fruit residue silage innovation has a potential for adoption in Uganda where the fruit is cultivated and processed.
Pineapple fruit residues are also available in urban and periurban markets where they create a disposal problem as they are dumped within the markets causing environmental hazard.
Ensiling pineapple
Pineapple fruit wastes are used as low-cost substrates for the production of lactic acid through submerged and solid-state fermentation.
The water content and high acidity in pineapple waste make the silage process with a bran mixture difficult.
Mixing with rice or wheat straw, wilted pasture grass of maize stover with pineapple waste can be done in the silage process. Starch sources such as molasses, maize bran, or sweet potatoes roots can improve the fermentation process.
The pineapple residues silage production steps are described below:
- Chop pineapple fruit residues into small pieces of 2.5cm to 5cm length.
- Mix pineapple leafy crown and fruit peels in a ratio of 4:1 (“weight by weight”).
- Compact under airtight plastic drums/bags.
- Good quality silage is ready in a period of 21 days.
- The protein content of the pineapple silage on dry matter basis is about 7.5%, calcium (0.61%), and phosphorus (0.30%). The protein content of pineapple residues silage can be improved by ensiling with 15% processed poultry litter.
“Making pineapple fruit residue silage for sale is an opportunity for youth groups in pineapple growing areas of Uganda to earn income,” Dr Jolly Kabirizi, a livestock nutritionist and consultant says.
On a dry matter basis, fresh pineapple waste contains 4% to 8% crude protein, 40% to 75% soluble sugars, pectin, and low amounts of minerals.
There is, therefore, a need to add extra protein and mineral sources when formulating pineapple fruit waste-based diets for animals.
To improve the protein and mineral content of the pellets, add 15% Mexican sunfl ower (Tithonia diversifolia) leaf meal and 3% mineral premix to the pineapple residue powder.
