Evaluation of Crinipellis sp. Treated Wheat Straw Based Diet for Ruminants under in Vitro System Mahesh M.S., Mohini Madhu* Environmental Laboratory, Dairy Cattle Nutrition Division, ICAR-National Dairy Research Institute, Karnal, Haryana-132001, India *Corresponding author E mail: madhummd@gmail.com
Online published on 7 April, 2015. Abstract The present study was conducted to assess the nutritive worth of wheat straw based diet (T1) and Crinipellis sp. (white-rot fungus) treated wheat straw based diet (T2) in terms of in vitro gas production, digestibility and rumen fermentation pattern. Diets (DM basis) containing 70% straw, 10% berseem fodder, 17% groundnut cake, 2% mineral mixture and 1% salt were formulated. In vitro total gas production (GV24h), true DM and OM digestibility (48 h) were higher (P<0.05) in T2 diet compared with T1 diet. Total N and NH3-N in rumen liquor of T2 diet were also higher (P<0.05) than T1 diet. Propionate concentration increased (P<0.05) with a decrease in acetate to propionate ratio in T2 diet. This study demonstrated that fungal treatment of wheat straw using Crinipellis sp. produces better quality wheat straw and its incorporation benefits rumen fermentation in vitro. Top Keywords Crinipellis sp, Digestibility, Gas production, Lignin, Wheat straw. Top |