PROXIMATE AND FIBER FRACTIONS OF SELECTED CEREAL HUSKS PROCESSED MANUALLY AND MECHANICALLY FOR RUMINANT PRODUCTION

Abstract

This study was conducted to assess the proximate compositions and fiber fractions of some cereal husks processed manually or mechanically for feeding ruminants. Three Agricultural Development Programmes (ADPs) in Jigawa State were used for this study. In each of the three ADPs, three sampling sites were selected and five samples were collected making a total of ninety samples. The samples were taken to laboratory to determine their nutritional compositions. The cereal husks included sorghum husk, millet husk, and pearl millet husk. The result of the proximate analysis showed significant (p<0.05) differences among the treatments. Manually processed sorghum husk had higher crude protein content (15.31%) while manually processed pearl millet husks had the lower (9.30%). Manually processed millet husk had the higher crude fiber content (14.41%) and manually processed pearl millet husks had the lower value (12.52). Mechanically processed sorghum husks recorded higher Ether Extract (0.65%) while mechanically processed millet husk was lower (0.35%). Mechanically processed sorghum husk was higher in ash (5.20%) while manually processed pearl millet husks (3.18%) was lower and manually processed pearl millet husks recorded the higher nitrogen free extract (NFE) value (74.41%) and manually processed sorghum husks recorded the lower value (65.52%). On the value of acid detergent fiber (ADF) and neutral detergent fiber (NDF), manually pearl millet husk recorded the higher value (37.05% and 51.15%), while mechanically processed pearl millet husk recorded the lower value (25.60% and 46.40%). It can therefore be concluded that, based on the results of the proximate analysis of the collected samples, the result shows that the husks can be used to feed ruminant animals and provide better results.