Apparent digestibility of solid state fermentation of cotton waste with fungus (Pleurotus sajor caju) using West African dwarf goats

Abstract

The effects of consumption of fungus treated cotton waste by growing goats on feed intake and digestibility was determined. Nine West African dwarf goats (7.5 ± 0.65 kg average trial BW) in a 3 x 3 Latin square with 21d periods, consumed cotton seed cake diet (diet A), cotton seed meal (diet B) and fungus treated cotton waste (diet C) ad libitum. Cotton seed cake, cotton seed meal and treated cotton waste diets were 2.66, 2.24 and 2.91% N and 30.62, 28.64 and 26.05% NDF, respectively. ADF was 19.87, 17.59 and 16.00% in diets A, B and C respectively. Total organic matter intake (OM) was 268.93, 265.10 and 287.43 gld. Dry matter and crude protein digestibilities increased more for diet C (P < 0.05) than the mean for diets A and B. Crude fibre digestibility ranked (P < 0.05) B (70.41%) > A (65.7%) > C (58.20%) and ADF digestibility was 50.25, 60.66 and 74.20% (± 6.75 SE). NDF was greatest (P < 0.05) for diet C, greater (P < 0.05) for diet B than for diet A (67.70, 58.84 and 42.20% respectively).
In conclusion, fungus treatment of cotton waste for growing goats may improve digestibility of nutrients as a result of higher digestibilities of dry matter, crude protein, acid detergent fibre (ADF) neutral detergent fibre (NDF) and hemicellulose. The possibility that fungi may enhance the crude protein content and reduced the fibre fractions further confirmed the propriety of this study.
Key Words: Food intake; Apparent digestibility; Fungus treated cotton waste; Pleurotus sajor caju.