The sustainable mitigation of in vitro ruminal biogas emissions by ensiling date palm leaves and rice straw with lactic acid bacteria and Pleurotus ostreatus for cleaner livestock production.

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Citation abstract

AIMS: The sustainable utilization of date palm leaves (DPL) and rice straw (RS) as feed materials for ruminant was evaluated using an in vitro wireless gas production (GP) technique.

METHODS AND RESULTS: DPL and RS were individually ensiled with lactic acid bacteria (LAB) for 45 days or used as substrates for the cultivation of Pleurotus ostreatus (PO) mushroom for 35 days. A total mixed ration was formulated as a control ration. In the other rations, berseem hay replaced DPL (ensiled without additives or ensiled with LAB or PO) at 25%, 50%, 75% and 100%. Ensiling with LAB did not affect the chemical composition of DPL or RS, while PO treatment reduced their fibre fraction contents. Ensiling without additives lowered (p < 0.05) the asymptotic production of total gas, methane (CH 4 ) and carbon dioxide (CO 2 ), and the rate of CH 4 and CO 2 while increasing (p < 0.05) the lag time of CH 4 and CO 2 production. Ensiling of materials with LAB and treatment with PO decreased (p < 0.05) the asymptotic production of total gas, CH 4 and CO 2 production and decreased the rate of CH 4 and CO 2 production. Ensiling without additives decreased (p < 0.05) total bacterial count, and increased (p < 0.05) fermentation pH and total volatile fatty acids (VFA), while LAB-ensiled DPL increased (p < 0.05) total VFA and propionate concentrations and decreased total protozoal count. The PO-treated DPL decreased (p < 0.05) bacterial count, protozoal count and fermentation pH and increased total VFA production.

CONCLUSIONS: Replacing berseem hay with LAB or PO-treated DPL at 25% increased GP; however, increased CH 4 and CO 2 production, whereas the other replacement levels decreased total gas, CH 4 and CO 2 production. The treatment with LAB is more recommended than the PO treatment.