EFFECT OF CHEMICAL AND PHYSICAL TREATMENS ON RUMINAL DEGRADATION CHARACTERISTICS OF GROUNDNUT (Arachis hypogaeal) CAKE

Abstract

The study was conducted to determine the effect of chemical treatment or combined chemical and physical treatments on dry matter (DM), crude protein (CP) degradation characteristics, and effective degradability of groundnut cake GNC. Chemical treatments were used 0.3% formaldehyde, 0.5N NaOH or 0.5N HCl. GNC was either soaked in the chemical or sprayed with it. The 0.5N NaOH or 0.5N HCl treated cake were either air dried or oven dried at (100oc). Nylon bags technique was employed using three castrated calves. Treating with 0.3% formaldehyde, 0.5N NaOH or 0.5N HCl significantly (P < 0.01) decreased insitu dry matter and crude protein degradation rate as well as the effective degradability. Treatment with 0.5N HCl heat dry was more effective than identical treatment with 0.5N NaOH in lowering the effective degradability, and the protein degradation rate. Both treatments had the same CP washing loss. 7‫‪more‬‬ ‫‪effective‬‬ ‫‪than‬‬ ‫‪spraying‬‬ ‫‪it‬‬ ‫‪with‬‬ ‫‪the‬‬ ‫‪same‬‬ ‫‪chemicals.‬‬ ‫‪It‬‬ ‫‪can‬‬ ‫‪be‬‬ ‫‪concluded‬‬ ‫‪that‬‬ ‫‪combining‬‬ ‫‪chemical‬‬ ‫‪and‬‬ ‫‪physical‬‬ ‫‪treatments‬‬ ‫‪was‬‬ ‫‪effective‬‬ ‫‪in‬‬ ‫‪protecting‬‬ ‫‪GNC‬‬ ‫‪from‬‬ ‫‪rumen‬‬ ‫‪degradation.‬‬ ‫‪The‬‬ ‫‪results‬‬ ‫‪of‬‬ ‫‪this‬‬ ‫‪work‬‬ ‫‪were‬‬ ‫‪compared‬‬ ‫‪and‬‬ ‫‪discussed‬‬ ‫‪with‬‬ ‫‪other‬‬ ‫‪similar‬‬ ‫‪researchers‬‬ ‫‪findings.‬‬