In Vitro Digestibility of Fermented Rice (Oryza sativa) Straw and Cassava (Manihot utilissima) Leaves Basal Feed Supplemented with Cassava Tuber

Abstract

This study was done to determine the in vitro digestibility of basal feed consisted of fermented rice (Oryza sativa) straw and cassava (Manihot utilissima) leaves supplemented with various levels of cassava tuber. Fermented rice straw was made by mixing 4 kg urea and 1 kg Starbio^® into 2000 kg freshly harvested rice straw. As dietary treatments, fermented rice straw was mixed with 15% cassava leaves and added with cassava tuber in various levels (0, 5, 10, or 15%). All the dietary treatment samples then incubated for 48 h according to 2-stage in vitro technique. Results showed that the in vitro digestibility of dry matter, organic matter, and crude protein were increased by the increasing level of cassava tuber added (P<0.05), with the greatest digestibilities on the 15% cassava tuber supplementation (41.2, 57.1, and 47.4%, respectively; P<0.05). No significant effects were detected on pH of rumen culture due to cassava tuber supplementation. It can be concluded that supplementing feed consists of fermented rice straw and 15% cassava leaves with cassava tuber can improve its nutrient quality without giving negative effects on the rumen pH.