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The study was carried out to explore the effects of replacing wheat straw with fungal treated wheat straw as an ingredient of total mixed ration (TMR) on the growth performance and nutrient digestibility in Nili Ravi buffalo male calves. Fungal treated wheat straw was prepared using Arachniotus sp. Four TMRs were formulated where wheat straw was replaced with 0 (TMR1), 33 (TMR2), 67 (TMR3), and 100% (TMR4) fungal treated wheat straw in TMR. All TMRs were iso-caloric and iso-nitrogenous. The experimental TMRs were randomly assigned to four groups of male calves (n = 6) according to completely randomized design and the experiment continued for four months. The calves fed TMR2 exhibited a significant improve in dry matter intake, average daily weight gain, feed conversion ratio and feed economics compared to other groups. The same group also showed higher digestibility of dry matter, crude protein, neutral-, and acid detergent fibers than those fed on other TMRs. It is concluded that TMR with 33% fungal-treated wheat straw replacement has a potential to give an enhanced growth performance and nutrient digestibility in male Nili Ravi buffalo calves.

The study was carried out to explore the effects of replacing wheat straw with fungal treated wheat straw as an ingredient of total mixed ration (TMR) on the growth performance and nutrient digestibility in Nili Ravi buffalo male calves. Fungal treated wheat straw was prepared using Arachniotus sp. Four TMRs were formulated where wheat straw was replaced with 0 (TMR1), 33 (TMR2), 67 (TMR3), and 100% (TMR4) fungal treated wheat straw in TMR. All TMRs were iso-caloric and iso-nitrogenous. The experimental TMRs were randomly assigned tofour groups of male calves (n = 6) according to completely randomized design and the experiment continued for four months. The calves fed TMR2 exhibited a significant improve in dry matter intake, average daily weight gain, feed conversion ratio and feed economics compared to other groups. The same group also showed higher digestibility of dry matter, crude protein, neutral-, and acid detergent fibers than those fed on other TMRs. It is concluded that TMR with 33% fungal treated wheat straw replacement has a potential to give an enhanced growth performance and nutrient digestibility in male Nili Ravi buffalo calves. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Goats showed a preference for grass silage over fresh fungal treated wheat straw (FWS). • Goats readily consume fresh FWS in a mixed diet. • Goats showed a higher intake rate of fresh FWS than wet wheat straw in a mixed diet. • No difference in intake rate of goats was observed between the two FWS. • Storage improved the preference of FWS for goats. The successful application of fungal treated lignocellulosic biomass as an animal feed ingredient depends on its acceptance by animals. The objective of this study was to test the preference of fresh and stored fungal treated wheat straw (WS) by non-lactating Saanen goats. Three studies were conducted. Wheat straw was aerobically treated with Ceriporiopsis subvermispora (CS) and Lentinula edodes (LE) for 7 weeks before being stored at -20°C (fresh CS [CS f , fresh LE [LE f) until use. The CS f and LE f were also anaerobically stored at 54°C (stored CS [CS s , stored LE [LE s) for 7 weeks before being frozen at -20°C until use. In study 1, preference for individual feedstuffs was tested and included grass silage (GS), maize silage (MS), CS f , LE f and WS. Goats showed a strong preference for GS and were more reluctant to consume MS. Minor amounts of CS f , LE f and WS were consumed even when the preference time was extended to 2 h. Study 2 compared the preference of CS f , LE f and WS when included at 50% (as is basis) in a GS/MS based feed over 6 days. Goats had a higher (P < 0.05) intake rate of the CS f and LE f than the WS containing feed, with no significant difference observed between CS f and LE f. In study 3, the preference of goats between diets containing (50% as is basis) fresh and stored fungal treated WS was investigated. In an identical study design to study 2, the goats showed a higher intake rate for the CS s and LE s containing feeds. Wheat straw treated with C. subvermispora and L. edodes were significantly less preferred to GS and MS. This feeding study showed that fungal treated WS can be used as a major part in a diet for goat and the storage increases its palatability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]