Abstract

Eustace A. Iyayi* and Zaid A. Aderolu

This study with some agro-byproducts was carried out to provide information on the use of fermentation by-products; brewer’s dried grains (BDG), rice bran (RB), palm kernel meal (PKM) and corn bran (CB). Changes in the nutrient compositions of some selected agro industrial by-products on biodegradation with Trichoderma viride and their feeding value as an energy source for layers were investigated. The protein in BDG, RB, PKM and CB increased by 87, 68, 32 and 61%, respectively, when they were fermented with the fungi for 14 days. At the same time, the fiber in the by-products decreased by 35.00, 40.00, 36.50 and 37.50%, respectively with a corresponding increase of 49.00, 37.00, 9.00 and 5.50% in the level of soluble sugars. The energy in the biodegraded by-products increased by 6.30, 5.00, 9.00 and 18.50%, respectively. In a feeding trial with layers, 50% of the maize in a standard commercial diet was replaced with biodegraded BDG, RB and PKM. Birds on the BDG and RB diets had significantly (P<0.05) higher hen day production than those on the other diets. Diets in which the biodegraded byproducts replaced maize produced lower cost of egg production than the standard commercial diet. Of the test diets, BDG gave the lowest cost of US$0.38 per tray of eggs (30 eggs) compared with US$0.53 for the commercial diet. Results of the study showed that fungal biodegradation of the agro industrial by-products can enhance their nutritional status. Using such by-products to feed layers spared half of the maize in the diet and produced better laying performance.