Evaluation of Fungal or Chemical Treatments for Barley Straw in Ruminants Feeding 1-Chemical composition, in vitro, in vivo digestibility and voluntary intake

Sixty male lambs weighing 30.2+ 1.43kg and 5.5+0.5 months old were used to evaluate the effect of three form of straw[ untreated barley straw (US), a 7% urea treated barley straw (UTS), and fungi (Pleurotus ostreatus) treated barley straw (FTS)],on chemical composition, cell wall constituents, in vitro and in vivo dry and organic matter digestibility and voluntary intake. Urea and fungal treatments significantly (P 0.05) decreased the cell wall components and increase the CP content and in vitro DM and OM digestibility of barley straw as compared with the US. Average daily intake and in vivo digestibility of DM and OM were significantly (P 0.05) higher in UTS and FTS comparing to the US. Likewise, the daily intake and digestibility of DM and OM of FTS was significantly (P 0.05) higher than those in UTS. In conclusion, treated straw by urea or fungi, improved CP content , nutrients digestibilities ,daily feed intake and nutritive value index.