Impact of Fermentation and Enzyme-Treatment on In-vitro Dry Matter Digestibility, Proximal Chemical Composition, Amino Acids and Tannin Content of Prosopis juliflora Pod Meal

In vitro and proximal chemical analyses are important ways of determining new potential feed resources. Prosopis juliflora pods contain high crude fibre and tannin levels that entrap nutrients and limit utilization. This study evaluated the effect of unfermented pods (treatment 1), spontaneously fermented pods for 3 (treatment 2), 6 (treatment 3), and 9 days (treatment 4) and Aspergillus niger-induced fermentation for 3 (treatment 5), 6 (treatment 6), and 9 days (treatment 7) days) on in vitro dry matter digestibility (IVDMD), crude protein, amino acids and tannin content and tannin content of Prosopis pods. The effect of Natuzyme®-treated unfermented pods (treatment 8) on IVDMD was also determined. Results indicated that treatment 1 had lower (P < 0.05) dry matter content as compared to treatments 2, 5 and 6. Treatments 3 and 6 increased (P < 0.05) crude protein content compared to other treatments. Treatment 3 resulted in higher (P < 0.05) amino acid content (tryptophan; methionine and lysine) than pods in other treatments. There were reduced (P < 0.05) tannin levels in all treatments apart from treatment 1. Treatments 3, 4, and 8 had higher (P < 0.05) IVDMD compared to treatments 1 and 5. The study concluded that 6 days of spontaneous fermentation (treatment 3) had a significant effect on the improvement of crude protein content, amino acids, IVDMD and reduced tannin levels. The use of Natuzyme® was found to improve the IVDMD of pods. The results recommended 6 days of spontaneous fermentation as the method of processing pods as an ingredient in formulating poultry diets