Nasarawa State University, Keffi, Faculty of Agriculture, Department of Animal Science, Shabu-Lafia, Nigeria; Animal Physiology Laboratory, Department of Animal Science, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria; Department of Animal Science, University of Ib
Akinfemi, A., Nasarawa State University, Keffi, Faculty of Agriculture, Department of Animal Science, Shabu-Lafia, Nigeria; Adu, O.A., Animal Physiology Laboratory, Department of Animal Science, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria; Adebiyi, O.A., Department of Animal Science, University of Ibadan, Nigeria
Studies were carried out for 40 days on the conversion of maize straw into value added ruminant feed using two white-rot fungi: Pleurotus sajor caju and Pleurotus pulmonarius in a solid state fermentation. The chemical composition and in- vitro digestibility of the resulting substrate were determined. The results of the study showed that the crude protein (CP) increased from 7.37% for the control (UM) to 9.66% for the Pleurotus pulmonarius degraded maize straw (PPM) and Pleurotus sajor caju degraded maize straw (PSM). The ether extracts (EE) and ash contents also follow the same trend. On the contrary, Crude Fiber fractions (Neutral detergent fiber (NDF), Acid detergent fiber (ADF),acid detergent lignin (ADL), cellulose and hemicellulose) decreased significantly (p<0.05) during the period of solid state fermentation. The estimated short chain fatty acid (SCFA) and metabolisable energy (ME) were not significantly different (p>0.05).Organic matter digestibility (OMD) were enhanced by the fungi used compared with the untreated straw. Gas volume also follows the same trend while the rate of gas production constant (c) was highest in UM and PSM. This study shows that the fungal treatment of maize straw enhanced the chemical composition and in -vitro digestibility.