Utilization of Fermented Cocoa Pod Husk (CPH) as Feed Ingredient for Sheep

The experiment of sheep feeding with concentrate contained fermented cocoa pod husk (FCPH) has been conducted at the IRIAP research station. The experiment aimed to study and evaluate FCPH product for sheep. Fermentation of cocoa pod husk using Aspergillus oryzae was carried out for three days. The FCPH product was dried and ground. A feeding trial experiment was performed on weaned rams with 6 replications (6 heads) / treatment for 2 weeks of adaptation and 12 weeks of observation. The basal diet was chopped king grass, and the treatments applied as follows: Control (C: king grass+commercial concentrate), C20 (20% commercial concentrate was replaced with 20% FCPH), and C40 (40% commercial concentrate was replaced with 40% FCPH). The crude protein content of FCPH was higher than CPH (15.94 vs. 6.71%). Replacement of commercial concentrate with 20 and 40% of FCPH increased protein digestibility from 45.32 (C) to 55.35 (C20) and 60.25 (C40), NDF digestibility was 50.14, 57.16, and 67.19%, for C, C20, and C40, respectively. The average dry matter consumption ranged from 600-900 g/head/day). The feed conversion ratio (FCR) at the adaptation week was very high (21-23.6). Moreover, the FCR was better during the observation period with a value of 14.02, 9.56, and 8.4 for C, C20, and C40, respectively. Bodyweight gain for C0, C20, and C40 was 65.80, 80.64, and 85 g/head/day. Rumen chemical characteristics were as follows: rumen ammonia in C40 was the lowest compared to C and C20. Meanwhile, the rumen pH ranged between 5.88 and 6.05. Acetic acid dominated the rumen environment, the level was 28.68% (C20), 31.37% (C), and 47.38% (C40). The content of VFA also indicated normal rumen digestive conditions. The biological processing of CPH increased the digestibility of protein and neutral detergent fibre. Cocoa pod husk fermented using Aspergillus oryzae can be used to replace commercial concentrates as much as 20 and 40% without causing a negative effect.