Chemical composition and variation in mean values of selected crop residues fermented with local alkali sources and rumen filtrate

Abstract EN

A twenty-one (21) day fermentation trial was conducted to determine the chemical composition of four crop residues separately fermented with each of local alkali agents (cocoa pod ash, palm bunch ash lye solution and rumen filtrate).

Results showed that dry matter (DM) contents of cocoa pod husk ash, fermented com cob and corn husk decreased significantly (P<0.05) while those of rice bran, rice husk were either similar (P>0.05) to or significantly lower(P<0.05) when compared with the control.

Meanwhile fermentation with cocoa pod ash and palm bunch ash decreased (P<0.05) both the CP and fibre contents of all crop residues listed.

Fermentation with rumen filtrate increased the CP contents by more than two folds but decreased the fibre contents compared to the control by 19.31 and 13.57; 11.28 and 820; 29.58 and 12.52; 1533 and 16.99 for corn cob, corn husk, rice bran and rice husk respectively.

Also Fermentation with cocoa pod ash, palm bunch ash and rumen filtrate increased (P<0.05) the ash contents substantially in all crop residues.

In conclusion, fermentation has been confirmed to enhance nutritional value of feedstuffs.

However, due to microbial digestion effects, fermentation with rumen filtrate se emed to be superior over these of cocoa pod husk ash and palm bunch ash.