The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of processing of lemon pulp with Saccharomyces cerevisiae on physical properties, chemical composition, digestion coefficients and blood parameters. Eight adult male Raeini goats were used in a 28-day period. The experimental design was a completely randomised design with two treatments and four replicates. The first 21 days were for adaptation, and the last 7 days were for collecting samples. The animals were housed in individual metabolic cages equipped with a urine-faeces separator and were fed with diet containing alfalfa hay (60%) and lemon pulp (40%) at the maintenance level. Collected data were subjected to analysis of completely randomised design. With diet containing processed lemon pulp, functional specific gravity, bulk density, soluble dry matter, percentage of crude protein, neutral detergent fibre (NDF), acid detergent fibre and crude ash were significantly increased and water-holding capacity, insoluble dry matter, insoluble ash percentage of dry matter, organic matter, crude fat, non-fibrous carbohydrates and nitrogen-free extract were significantly decreased (p < 0.05). Digestion coefficient of organic matter in dry matter and metabolisable energy were also decreased in treated lemon pulp (p < 0.05). Compared with untreated lemon pulp, digestibility of crude protein and NDF was higher (p < 0.05), but digestibility of crude fat was lower (p < 0.05). In general, processing of lemon pulp with S. cerevisiae improved the physical characteristics and increased the percentage of crude protein and the digestion coefficients of protein and NDF.
Context Agricultural by-products such as grape pomace (GP), could form an important component of ruminant diets. Aims The present study aimed to evaluate the effects of treating GP with Neurospora sitophila on chemical composition, digestibility, nitrogen balance, rumen, and blood parameters. Methods Twenty-four adult Kermani rams were allocated to one of three treatments arranged as a completely randomised design for a 26-day period. The first 21 days were for adaptation, and the last 5 days were for sample collection. The animals were placed in individual cages equipped with a urine–faeces separator. They were fed with (1) a basal diet without GP (control), (2) a basal diet with 20% of untreated grape pomace (UGP), and (3) a basal diet with 20% of N. sitophila-treated grape pomace (TGP). Key results Treating GP increased the percentages of crude protein (CP), lignin and rumen-degradable protein (RDP; P < 0.01), but decreased rumen-undegradable protein (RUP; P < 0.05) and total phenols and tannins (P < 0.01). Nutrient digestibility in the TGP- and UGP-supplemented groups was lower than that in the control group (P < 0.05). The mean excretion of allantoin (P < 0.05), xanthine plus hypoxanthine (P < 0.01), total purine derivatives (P < 0.05), and microbial protein synthesis (P < 0.05) were lower in the sheep fed UGP than in the control group. The acetate (P < 0.01), propionate and total volatile fatty acids (P < 0.05) in rumen fluid were the highest in the control group. The UGP-supplemented group had a higher rumen pH and a lower NH3-N concentration than did other groups, 1.5 h after feed intake. Also, blood glucose and urea nitrogen in animals fed UGP were lower than in those in other groups (P < 0.05). Conclusions Treating of GP with N. sitophila fungus increases the CP and RDP and reduces the adverse effects of GP on ruminal kinetics. Implications The GP that has been exposed and treated with N. sitophila may provide a suitable supplementary feed for ruminants when incorporated into diets at rates of up to 20%.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.