Effect of Sodium Hydroxide and Calcium Oxide treatments on the Nutritive Value of Bagasse as ruminant feed

Abstract

The study objective was to investigate the effect of chemical treatments on the nutritive value of sugar cane bagasse (SCB) as ruminants feed and compare it with the untreated SCB(USCB).SCB was treated with sodium hydroxide (SCBNa) at 4% and calcium oxide (SCBCa) at 8%.The nutritive value of the treated SCB and the USCB was assessed by comparing their chemical composition, gas production characteristics , in vitro dry matter digestibility and organic matter digestibility.The standard analytical methods were used . Both NaOH and CaO treatments caused significant reductions (P<0.01) in crude fiber ,neutral detergent fiber, acid detergent fiber, acid detergent lignin, hemicellulose content of SCB and a significant increase in its cellulose content . Both chemical treatments caused significantly (P≤0.01) decrease in the gas production from the immediately soluble fraction (a) and Significantly(P≤0.01) increase gas production from the insoluble fraction (b) compared with the untreated bagasse .In vitro dry matter digestibility was increased (P≤0.01) from 42.56% in USCB to 65.72% and 68.33% in SCBNa and SCBCa respectively. Organic matter digestibility was increased from 22.44% in USCB to 47.13% and 29.82% with SCBNa and SCBCa respectively. It is concluded that alkali treatments improved In vitro dry matter digestibility and organic matter digestibility of sugar cane bagasse through changes in its chemical composition. Key words: Sugar cane bagasse, Alkali treatment, Ruminants feed