Biodegradation of Cassava Peel with Pleurotus ostreatus and Bacillus cereus for the Production of Poultry Feed

Abstract

This study aimed to produce poultry feed from Pleurotus ostreatus and Bacillus cereus biodegraded cassava peel. The biodegradation of cassava peel substrates was for 28 day. The biodegradation setups ST1-ST9 consist of 150g cassava peel + 30 ml, 20ml and 10ml of Consortium, Bacillus cereus and Pleurotus ostreatus respectively. Treated cassava substrate was fortified with palm press fiber (PPF) and fish waste (FW). The birds were fed with the feeds and monitored for 28 days. Results for proximate analysis of the fortification materials showed the nutrient concentration as: Moisture (PPF=7.1%, FW=2.75%); Ash (PPF=1.45%, FW=29.9%); Lipid (PPF=45.24%, FW=7.88%); Carbohydrate (PPF=3.35%, FW=6.33%); Fibre (PPF=28.42%, FW=11.6%) and Protein (PPF=14.44%, FW=41.56%). Improved proximate composition was noticed in poultry feeds ST1, ST4 and ST9 after fortification, with ash values of 8.50, 5.70 and 6.90; carbohydrate 21.12, 28.25 and 27.72; lipid 8.50, 6.70 and 7.90; protein 19.31, 20.25 and 18.13, and fibre 29.77, 30.00 and 28.05 in that order. Results of growth parameters of birds fed with processed poultry feeds showed that ST1, ST4 and ST9 competed considerably in height and weight with birds fed with the commercial feed. The Cyanide content of the fresh cassava peel was 175mg/kg on day one which decreased to 0.00mg/kg in all treatments. Microbial contaminants present in the processed feeds include Micrococcus sp., Staphylococcus sp., Streptococcus sp., Bacillus sp. and Aspergillus sp. Total Heterotrophic Bacterial Count (THBC) ranged from 27.5x103 to 4.5 x103 CFU/g while Total Fungal Count (TFC) ranged from 1 x103-3 x103SFU/g. To this end, it is advisable that more research work on quality improvement of the feed and bioconversion of other waste be conducted.