In Vitro Evaluation of Rumen Protein Degradability in Green Concentrate Supplemented with Kappa-Carrageenan Encapsulated Eucheuma cottonii Extract Renny Fatmyah Utamy (a*), Ambo Ako (a), Zyahrul Ramadan (a), Mohammad Mijanur Rahman (b), Rara Mufliha (a)
a) Faculty of Animal Science, Hasanuddin University, Makassar 90245, Indonesia
*rennyfatmyahutamy[at]unhas.ac.id
b) Faculty of Sustainable Agriculture, Sandakan 90200, Malaysia
Abstract
This study aimed to evaluate the effect of kappa carrageenan-based encapsulation of Eucheuma cottonii on rumen protein degradability using an in vitro approach. Five dietary treatments were formulated with increasing inclusion levels of encapsulated E. cottonii (0%, 2.5%, 5%, 7.5%, and 10%). The results showed a significant decrease in Rumen Degradable Protein (RDP) values, from 72.18% in the control to 65.24% in the highest inclusion level. Conversely, Rumen Undegradable Protein (RUP) values increased from 59.56% to 64.17%, indicating improved bypass protein availability. Statistical analysis confirmed significant differences among treatments (p < 0.05), suggesting that encapsulation effectively protects protein from microbial degradation in the rumen and enhances its delivery to the lower digestive tract. These findings support the potential of kappa carrageenan as an encapsulating agent in ruminant feed formulations. The shift in protein profile toward higher RUP may contribute to better nitrogen utilization and improved productivity in dairy cattle. Further in vivo studies are recommended to validate these results and assess the long-term effects of encapsulated E. cottonii on animal performance, health, and milk yield.
