Determination of nutritional value of common reed forage treated with oyster fungus with gas production and nylon bag methods

The biological processing by fungi is used to improve the nutritive value of forage and fibrous feedstuffs.
The aim of this research was to survey the effect of treatment with Pleurotus ostreatus on gas production and degradability parameters of Common reed forage (Phragmites australis).
The Common reed was sterilized and transferred to nylon bags. Then spawn (the grain with fungi mycelium) was added to nylon bag and the fungi e grew in nylon bags and harvesting of the fungi was performed for 2 phases. The treatments were: 1) The Common reed without fungi (as control) 2) the Common reed treated after growth of mycelium of fungi 3) the Common reed residue after first harvest of fungi 4) the Common reed residue after second harvest of fungi. The gas production and degradability parameters were measured in glass syringes and three fistulated Sistani cattle, respectively.
Treatment with fungi increased crude protein and decreased organic matter, NDF and ADF content of Common reed forage (P In general, results showed that fungi treated of common reed with Pleurotus ostreatus increased its nutritive value.