Evaluation of fungal treatment of some agricultural residues

ABSTRACT
Two low quality roughages, namely rice straw (RS) and corn stalks (CS) were subjected to biological treatment under solid state fermentation by Trichoderma Viride to improve their nutritive value. Four tested rations were allotted randomly on four groups of crossbred lambs (Rhamani×Ossimi) as following, two groups fed concentrate feed mixture (CFM) plus ad lib untreated either rice stalk (RS) (T1), or corn stalk (CS) (T3) and two groups fed concentrate feed mixture (CFM) plus ad lib treated either rice stalk (RS) (T2), or corn stalk (CS) (T4).
Treatment of rice straw and corn stalk with Trichoderma Viride decreased contents of OM and CF, while contents of CP, EE and ash increased than those of untreated one. 
Nylon bags technique by fistulated bull's buffalo show that, actual washing loss (W), intercept representing solubilized at initiation of incubation (a) and effective degradability (ED) kinetics of DM and OM degradability were significantly (P<0.05) increased for either treated rice straw (TRS) or treated corn stalk (TCS) compared to untreated. No significant differences were found between TRS and TCS for the fraction that potentially degradable in the rumen (b) for DM and OM, while values of PD of DM and OM for TRS were significantly (P<0.05) higher than TCS substrate.
Total feed intake (TFI) for T2 and T4 were higher than T1 and T3, while TFI for T4 was the highest one and T3 was the lowest one. Crude protein intake and CP (g/kgw0.75) for T2 or T4 were higher compared to T1 or T3. The differences of ADG for different treatments were not significant. No significant difference among groups were noticed for feed conversion.
Apparent digestion coefficient of CP for T2 and T4 were significantly (P<0.05) higher compared to T1 and T3, while no significant differences between T2 and T4. Crude fiber digestibility for T4 was significantly (P<0.05) higher than T2. At the same time, CF digestibility of ration containing TRS or TCS (T2 or T4) were 
significantly (P<0.05) higher than that untreated (T1 or T3). Digestibilities of NDF and NDF for treated RS or CS were significantly (P<0.05) higher than untreated one, except NDF digestibility in T3 which was not significantly different. The digestibility values of cellulose were significantly (P<0.05) higher for T2 and T4 compared to untreated, while adverse effect was shown with hemicellulose. The nutritive values as TDN was insignificantly differed among tested ration. The values of DCP were significantly (P<0.05) higher with ration containing either TRS or TCS, while DCP values of ration containing TCS was significantly (P<0.05) higher than that containing TRS. Nitrogen balance (NB) was significantly (P<0.05) higher for both T2 and T4 compared to T1 and T3.
It can be concluded from this study that Trichoderma viride treatment for rice straw and corn stalks can improve their feeding values without adverse effect on animal performance.