Abstract
Abstract Limited research has been conducted to evaluate alternatives to enhance nutritional value of palm kernel meal (PKM) for ruminants. Therefore, 2 experiments were conducted to evaluate the effects of treating palm kernel meal with calcium hydroxide (CH) on nutrient digestibility, blood parameters, performance and carcass characteristics of growing lambs. In Exp. 1, three lambs were randomly allotted in a 3 × 3 Latin square. Treatment diets include: (1) 0% PKM (Ctrl), (2) 25% PKM (PKM-NT) and (3) 25% PKM (PKM-T) treated with 5% CH. Data were analyzed as a Latin square with 3 dietary treatments and 3 periods using the MIXED procedure of SAS. Nutrient intake was not altered by experimental diet (P > 0.05). Fiber digestibility was decreased by inclusion of PKM (P = 0.043). However, Fiber digestibility was not different between PKM-T and PKM-NT (P = 0.613). Nitrogen free-extract was decreased by PKM-T vs PKM-NT (P = 0.037). Blood parameters evaluated (i.e. triglycerides, cholesterol, urea, total protein, TGO, TGP) were not altered by experimental treatment (P > 0.073). In Exp. 2, 14 lambs (19.3±3.32 kg of BW) were allocated into 1 of 2 experimental diets (PKM-NT or PKM-T) based on their live BW. Animals were fed individually for 93 d. Carcass characteristics were measured at the end of the feeding trial after a 24-h chilling period. Data were analyzed using the Mixed procedures of SAS as a completely randomized block design. Overall, DMI and ADG was increased by PKM-T (P < 0.049). Nevertheless, Feed efficiency was not altered by experimental treatment (P = 0.214). Dressing percent was enhanced by PKM-T (P = 0.036). Remaining carcass characteristics were not altered by experimental diet (P > 0.112). Growing data, suggest that treating PKM with alkali increased its nutritional value based on performance results. However, nutrient digestibilities does not support the benefit from alkali treatment.
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