Evaluation of Urea-NH3 Treated Palm Press Fibre by In Vitro, in Sacco and in vivo Techniques

Palm press fibre (PPF), a by-product of palm oil industry has been evaluated to explore its potential feeding value as a replacement of conventional roughage sources. Ammoniation was attempted through treatment at 3, 4 and 5 per cent urea concentrations, at moisture levels of 30, 40 and 50 per cent and incubation periods of 10, 20 and 30 days to improve the nutritional quality of PPF. Laboratory scale ammoniation of PPF through urea treatment at 4 per cent urea concentration at 40 per cent moisture level and 20 days of incubation increased the CP, IVDMD, in sacco DM disappearance and EDDM values from 8.02, 26.90, 33.98 and 25.32 per cent to 16.82, 44.85, 43.12 and 38.5 per cent respectively as compared to untreated PPF. Results of evaluation studies indicated that 4 per cent urea treatment at 40 per cent moisture for 20 days were optimum for effective ammoniation of PPF. PPF thus treated was fed to buffalo bull calves (100±0.05 kg) as a replacement to ground nut haulms. The DCP and TDN values of untreated and treated PPF were 3.70, 42.30 and 8.80, 52.7 per cent, respectively, making treated PPF a potential substitute of conventional roughages for ruminants.