Anmar A. M. Al-Wazeer - Department of Animal Production, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Kufa, Najaf, Iraq
Aqeel Y. Alshukri - Department of Animal Production, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Kufa, Najaf, Iraq
Kamel A. Kathem - Department of Animal Production, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Kufa, Najaf, Iraq

Fungal treatment can used to enhance the nutritive value of agro-industrial by-products. Common reed and rice straw were treated with white strain of Pleurotus ostreatus (P.ostreatus.) to investigate the effect of fungi on nutrient composition and in vitro digestibility of these substrates after 21 days. Results revealed that P. ostreatus treatment decreased (P<0.01) Neutral detergent fiber (NDF), and Acid detergent lignin (ADL) and increased (P<0.01) crude protein (CP) content of the common reed and rice straw compared to untreated. Higher increment in CP but higher decrease in ADL content occur with common reed treated with P. ostreatus. The in vitro digestibility were increased (P<0.01) of both substrates. However, treated common reed showed higher improvement in in vitro digestibility than of rice straw, it could be concluded that P. ostreatus improved nutritive value of common reed and could be used in feeding ruminant instead of left unused or controlled by herbicide.

common reed, rice straw, Pleurotus ostreatus, chemical composition, in vitro digestibility