Nutritive value of postharvest bean by-products (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) for ruminants

The nutritive value for ruminants of postharvest bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) stem, leaf and empty pod by-products were studied in adult male goats. In vitro, potential and effective ruminal degradability of organic matter were, respectively, 55.4%, 57.0% and 30.6% for stems, 81.5%, 79.6% and 64.6% for leaves, and 67.2%, 86.2% and 49.8% for pods. The energy content of the by-products was estimated to be 9.2 MJ ME kg−1 DM stems, 8.5 MJ ME kg−1 DM leaves, and greater than 9.9 MJ ME kg−1 pods. The by-products contained 55 g of degradable and 28 g undegradable protein kg−1 DM stems, 142 g and 60 g kg−1 DM leaves, and 29 g and 13 g kg−1 DM pods.