Abstract
BackgroundThe use of cocoa pod husk in livestock nutrition is being limited because of its fibrous nature and anti-nutrients, which have detrimental effect(s) on the animals. This study was conducted to evaluate the nutritive value and effects of replacing urea-treated ensiled cocoa pod husk meal (urea-treated CPHM) with cassava peel in a complete concentrate diet (CCD) on in vitro digestibility and methane (CH4) production.MethodsUrea-treated CPHM was prepared by soaking the raw milled pod in 5% urea solution under anaerobic condition for 7 days, and decanted and the filtrates were further ensiled for 28 days, dried, and were replaced with cassava peel meal in CCD at 0, 5, 7.5, 10, 12.5, and 15% on part basis. Feed samples (n = 3) were analyzed for chemical composition, and data generated from in vitro study were subjected to statistical analysis in a completely randomized design experiment.ResultsResults revealed that the treatment significantly reduced the crude fiber, fiber fraction contents, and anti-nutrients and improved the crude protein content of the pod by 71.84%. Dry matter and crude protein of the diets ranged from 89.34–89.71% and 10.52–12.84%, respectively. The in vitro dry matter digestibility (IVDMD) increased with increasing levels of urea-treated CPHM in the diets. With increasing levels of urea-treated CPHM, CH4 production relatively reduced as compared to diet E. Metabolizable energy (5.66 Kcal/g) of diet F was the highest. Therefore, the inclusion of urea-treated CPHM at 15% in CCDs has the potential for improving digestibility and reducing CH4 production in ruminants.
Highlights
Livestock production is undertaken in a multitude of ways across the planet, providing a large variety of goods and services, using different animal species and different sets of resources, in a wide spectrum of agro-ecological and socio-economic conditions (Steinfeld et al, 2006)
Thereafter, decanted and the filtrates were further ensiled for 28 days, dried, and were replaced with cassava peel meals at 0, 5, 7.5, 10, 12.5, and 15% in a complete concentrate diet (Table 1)
Rumen liquor was collected in the morning before feeding through a stomach tube against negative pressure created by a suction pump into the thermo-flask that had been pre-warmed to a temperature of 39 °C
Summary
Livestock production is undertaken in a multitude of ways across the planet, providing a large variety of goods and services, using different animal species and different sets of resources, in a wide spectrum of agro-ecological and socio-economic conditions (Steinfeld et al, 2006). Sucharita et al (1998) concluded that effective utilization of nonconventional feeds should be the major areas of research in the less developed countries due to shortage of conventional feedstuffs, ever-increasing human population and to cocoa pod husk which is an abundant residue generated on cocoa farmlands has been regarded as a “waste” in Nigeria, except for the negligible amount used in the manufacture of local soap. An in vitro study was conducted to evaluate the nutritive value and effects of incorporating graded levels of urea-treated ensiled cocoa pod husk meal in total mixed rations on digestibility and methane production. The use of cocoa pod husk in livestock nutrition is being limited because of its fibrous nature and anti-nutrients, which have detrimental effect(s) on the animals. This study was conducted to evaluate the nutritive value and effects of replacing urea-treated ensiled cocoa pod husk meal (urea-treated CPHM) with cassava peel in a complete concentrate diet (CCD) on in vitro digestibility and methane (CH4) production
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