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Biological technique of upgrading the feeding quality of wheat straw

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  23 November 2017

A.V. Jones*
Affiliation:
Bangor University, Bangor, Gwynedd, LL57 2UW, United Kingdom
A.P. Williams
Affiliation:
Bangor University, Bangor, Gwynedd, LL57 2UW, United Kingdom
M.D. Hale
Affiliation:
Bangor University, Bangor, Gwynedd, LL57 2UW, United Kingdom
H.M. Omed
Affiliation:
Bangor University, Bangor, Gwynedd, LL57 2UW, United Kingdom
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Extract

Wheat is vastly grown worldwide in order to feed a growing population and for use as ruminant feed. In developed countries where the value of wheat has increased, farmers are growing varieties which have a shorter, thicker stem to structurally support the high yielding characteristics. Straw produced from such varieties is highly lignified and is harder to digest by ruminants. Several techniques have been employed in attempt to improve the nutritional value and digestibility of wheat straw for ruminant feeding, but with no success; e.g. due to the impalpability of chemically-treated straw, and the expense (and often high labour input) involved in highly technical physical techniques. It has already been proven that the Pleurotus species of fungi can significantly degrade the lignin content of many lignified substances (Cohen et al, 2002). Pleurotus species can selectively degrade the lignin content of wheat straw, resulting in the cellulose and hemi-cellulose becoming more accessible, thus allowing the rumen micro-organisms to digest the substance successfully. It is also suggested that the addition of Manganese (Mn) can enhance the degradation of lignin (Hador & Kerem, 1995). The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of three concentration levels of Manganese in addition to two strains of Pleurotus fungi (ostreatus 027 and eryngii DSM8264) in order to determine the best combination to achieve increased digestibility and lignin degradation of wheat straw.

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Copyright
Copyright © The British Society of Animal Science 2008

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