Nutritional qualities of corn cob and waste paper incubated with edible mushroom

Studies were conducted to evaluate corn cob and waste paper cultured with edible mushroom (Pleurotus sajor) as a means of improving their nutritive value for livestock animals. Waste paper and corn cob were 14.2 and 47.7% DM respectively. Crude fibre degradation was 25.0% for corn cob and 7.21% for waste paper which was intermediate to 34.0 and 10.30% of the untreated samples. Digestibility of the fungus treated paper and corn cob were assessed using 24 Wistar Albino rats. Dry matter digestibility of the paper and the corn cob were improved by incubating with the mushroom with an increase of 30 and 40% waste paper and corn cob respectively. The crude protein digestibility and crude fibre digestibility were improved by incubation with mushroom compared with untreated samples. It was concluded that such biodegradation and the concurrent 30.2 and 27.8 percentage unit increases in crude protein digestibility of corn cob and waste paper may in fact improve the nutritive value for livestock with no detriment to the health (organ and blood) of the animals.