Abstract
This study was conducted to examine the fermentative quality and palatability of the fermented total mixed ration (TMR) containing spent mushroom substrate (SMS) derived from culture medium based on different oil palm byproducts, i.e. empty fruit bunches (EFB) and oil palm trunk (OPT). Fermented TMR was composed of 46.5% timothy hay, 8.6% concentrates, 14.6% pineapple residue and less than 0.1% lactic acid bacterial inoculant on a wet basis. The 120-L silos of the fermented TMR were assigned to five treatments (three replicates each): no SMS (control), 5 or 10% fermented EFB-based SMS replacement of control diet and 5 or 10% OPT-based SMS replacement on a wet basis, and their moisture was adjusted to 45-50%. The pH of the fermented TMR in all treatments was less than 4.3. Lactic acid and acetic acid contents were not significantly different among treatments, and butyric acid was not identified in all treatments. Flieg score of the fermented TMR in all treatments was more than 99 points, showing no significant difference among treatments. The palatability of the fermented TMR by beef breeding cows was not different among treatments. It was concluded that EFEB- or OPT-based SMS could replace up to 10% of the fermented TMR without SMS, because fermentative quality and palatability were not different among dietary treatments.
