Environmental sustainability: potential use of mango agroindustrial by-product associated with gliricidia in mixed silages in sheep diet.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the fermentation, nutritional characteristics, and potential use of mixed silages of gliricidia and mango fruit waste in sheep diets. Two experimental trials were conducted. The first was a completely randomized design consisting of mixed silages of gliricidia with different proportions of mango fruit waste (600, 650, 700, 750, and 800 g/kg fresh matter), with five replications. Fermentation and microbial characteristics, carbon dioxide (CO₂) production, and the chemical composition of the silages were evaluated. The second experiment followed a randomized block design with 12 sheep (21.95 ± 3.55 kg), fed mixed silages of gliricidia with 700 g/kg fresh matter of mango fruit waste and reconstituted sorghum silage (RSS). Nutrient intake and digestibility, water balance, and nitrogen balance were assessed. The inclusion of mango fruit waste led to a decrease in pH, ammonia nitrogen, dry matter, organic matter, neutral and acid detergent fiber contents, density, CO₂ production at 24, 48, and 72 h of air exposure, non-fiber carbohydrates, total digestible nutrients, and the A + B₁ carbohydrate fraction. There was a quadratic effect on gas and effluent losses, dry matter recovery, and the C fraction of nitrogen. Sheep fed the mixed silage of gliricidia and mango waste showed higher intake, urine nitrogen excretion, crude protein digestibility, and water intake from the drinker. Sheep fed RSS had higher neutral detergent fiber intake and digestibility. The inclusion of 700 g/kg mango fruit waste in gliricidia silage improved fermentation and nutritional characteristics and has potential as a roughage source for sheep.