title: Protein enrichment and digestion improvement of napiergrass and pangolagrass with solid-state fermentation.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Napiergrass (Pennisetum purpureum Schumacher) and pangolagrass (Digitaria decumbens Stent) are two major forage grasses for cow feeding. They possess high yields and high regeneration properties. Inoculation of cellulolytic microbes on herbage could enhance the protein content of herbage and promote digestibility in chickens.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cellulolytic microbes were isolated from various sources and cultivated on napiergrass and pangolagrass with solid-state fermentation for protein enrichment and in vitro digestion improvement.The fermented napiergrass and pangolagrass were used as the main protein source in chicken diets to assess the feasibility for non-ruminants feed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  After a 42-day fermentation period, napiergrass showed higher protein contents (13.4-13.9%) than those of pangolagrass(11.1-11.7%). The in vitro digestibility of pangolagrass increased from 5.29% to 20.4%, whereas that of napiergrass increased from 5.29% to 19.0%. The average feed conversion efficiencies of chickens were close to the traditional fodder using corn as the main ingredient.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Inoculation of appropriate cellulolytic microbes to enrich protein content and improve in vitro digestibility of herbage with solid-state fermentation for chicken feed is the prospective technique for agriculture, animal husbandry, and substantial management.
authors.affiliation: Department of Food Science, China University of Science and Technology, Taipei 11581, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Pang-Kuei
authors.initials: PK
authors.lastname: Hsu
authors.forename: Ching-Piao
authors.initials: CP
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Li-Yun
authors.initials: LY
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Cheng-Hsiung
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.forename: Shang-Shyng
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Yang
mesh_terms: D000821:Animal Feed; D000822:Animal Husbandry / Q000379:methods; D000818:Animals; D001419:Bacteria / Q000201:enzymology / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000378:metabolism*; D044602:Cellulases / Q000378:metabolism*; D002645:Chickens; D004032:Diet / Q000379:methods; D031746:Digitaria / Q000378:metabolism*; D005285:Fermentation; D031782:Pennisetum / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D044602:Cellulases