Journal of Fisheries & Livestock Production
Open Access

Abstract

A study was conducted to evaluate the use of exogenous enzymes as a potential means of improving the rumen fermentation of guinea grass ?ecotype A? (Panicum maximum) rice straw (Oryza sativa). The enzymes used for the in vitro incubations were characterized for Cellulase (CE), Xylanase (XY). Enzymes were supplemented separately (CE and XY) as treatments T1, T2, T3, T4 and a control with corresponding levels of enzymes in 5, 10, 20, 40 and 0 ?l for 500 mg ground (1 mm) substrates dry matter. Anaerobic buffer medium and strained ruminal fluid (42 ml) were added to the in vitro incubations (followed by 24 hours pre incubation of substrate and enzyme) in triplicates and in vitro gas production (IVGP) was measured at 2, 4, 8, 12, 18, 24 and 48 hours of incubation. At the end of incubation in vitro rumen dry matter disappearance (IVRDMD), ammonia nitrogen (NH3-N), short chain fatty acid (SCFA) and metabolozable energy (ME) were estimated. All enzyme treatments except for some instances significantly increased (p<0.05) IVGP while there was no significant effect on IVRDMD irrespective of enzyme or substrate. The total NH3-N in fermentation liquid was significantly increased by both enzymes irrespective of substrate. Calculated values for SCFA and ME also have significantly enhanced with enzyme supplementation. Therefore it can be concluded that the use of fibrolytic enzymes as an effective way to improve the ruminal fermentation characteristics of guinea grass ecotype ?A? and rice straw.

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