Enhancement of Maize By-Products Through Solid State Fermentation: Improved Feed Resource for Ruminant Production

Abstract

In Nigeria, maize by-products are abundantly available but not in use as feedstuff in livestock production due to preponderance high fibre composition. Treatment of maize by-products to enhance its utility in ruminant production was therefore investigated in the present study. Rumen liquor, urea and both were used to treat maize cob and maize straw. Chemical composition and in-vitro gas production analysis were carried out using standard procedures. Results showed that crude protein ranged from 2.7 (corn straw) to 13.1 % (rumen liquor and urea treated corn-cob), ash: 4.5–9 % in rumen liquor and urea treated corn-cob and rumen liquor treated corn-cob respectively. Insoluble but degradable fraction (b) ranged between 5.5 ml (untreated corn straw) and 37.0 ml (corn-cob + rumen liquor + urea). The rate of potential gas production of treated and untreated maize by-products ranged from 6.0 - 39.0 ml in untreated corn straw and corn-cob + rumen liquor + urea respectively. Metabolisable energy, organic matter digestibility and short chain fatty acid ranged from; 3.2 - 8.2 MJ/kg, 22.7 - 55.7 % and 0.2744 - 0.8720 μmol respectively. In conclusion, the use of rumen liquor or/and urea to treat maize by-products improved and bettered the nutritive composition. However, the use of both rumen liquor and urea was ranked best considering the parameters examined.