GROWTH RESPONSE OF SHEEP FED CONCENTRATE WITH ASPERGILL US ORYZAE FERMENTATION CULTURE

Abstract

Probiotics have recently been of interest of nutritionists and to be used to modify
rumen fermentation pattern and to improve digestion process to enhance ruminant
production. Aspergillus oryzae fermentation culture (AOF C) was used in this
experiment to increase sheep production performance. Fifteen growing male ‘Garut’
sheep were fed with chopped King grass and commercial concentrate added with 5
and 10% AOF C during 16 weeks. A randomised block design was applied to put
dietary treatments allocation. The sheep was weighed early in the moming once a
week, feed refusals were also weighed every morning during 14 weeks data
collection period. Faecal samples were taken in the last week of the experiment.
Both feed and faecal samples were analysed for nutrient contents. Duncan’s MRT
was used for treatment means compaiisons. The AOFC gave a good result in sheep
production, with average daily gain reaching 122.08 g/d for sheep that consumed
concentrate with 5% AOFC (CF1) and 140.52 gld for sheep fed with concentrate
with 10% AOFC (CF2), compared to 94.81 g/d for control sheep (CFO). No
significant differences determined in feed efficiency, dry matter and organic matter
digestibilities. Cnide protein digestibility was significantly improved in sheep
having treatment CF2, while NDF digestibility increased significantly by feeding
AOFC in both treatments (CF, and CF 2).