Composition and chemical characteristics of mangoes (Mangifera indica l.) for animal feeding in Nayarit, Mexico

Resumen

An experiment was designed to study the composition and chemical characteristics of Mexican mangoes (Mangifera indica L.) of Nayarit, mature and without application for human intake. During the first experimental stage, the influence of the harvest beginning and ending (June and August) on the shell, seed and pulp of four representative samples from 96 mature fruits reduced to twelve per season was assessed. The mangoes were from the Tommy Atkins variety, randomly collected the same day in two markets and two allotments (twelve fruits/place). In the second, a factorial scheme 2 x 3 was used to study the effect of season and components on the mangoes? chemical characteristics. There was no season effect either on the fresh weight of the fruits (417 and 454 g) or the pulp percent (76.1 and 75.8 %). However, the shell and seed proportion increased and diminished lightly (P < 0.05) in August compared with June. There was no significant effect on the interaction season x component in the chemical indexes. The season did not influence on the DM content of the fruit (average, 26.4 %), but did on the NDF and N content, which tended to increase (P < 0.05) in August in respect to June. The NDF content was different (P < 0.05) in shell, seed and pulp (40.1, 56.5 and 66.6 %). The N level was lower (P < 0.05) in shell (0.48 %) than in seed and pulp (1.2 % in both cases), and was always low. It is suggested that the mango parts, considered as waste in the industry (shell and seed) can be a good resource for ruminants? feeding. There are no evidences that the beginning and ending of harvest influence on the chemical and chemical characteristics of the fruits.
Key words: mango, animal feeding, physico-chemical composition.