Effects of Treatment by Beam Electron and Alkaline Hydrogen Peroxide on the Nutritional Value of Date Kernel Powder in Ruminants

The aim of the present experiment was to use the electron beam (beam) and alkaline hydrogen peroxide (AHP) to improve the nutritional value of date kernel powder for ruminant livestock. The date kernel powders were irradiated with the beam at doses of 0, 25, 50, 75, 100, and 125 KGy. The irradiated date kernels were then treated with 1% and 2% AHP as a 3×6 factorial experiment. Digestion and fermentation parameters of date kernel powder were measured using two-step digestion techniques and gas production methods. In comparison to the control, beam electron resulted in a decrease in NDF and ADF percentages, a significant increase in the potential of gas production, partitioning factor, truly degradable organic matter, microbial biomass production and digestibility of dry matter, NDF and ADF of date kernel (P<0.05) and the 100 KGy had the best results (P<0.05). The AHP decreased the percentage of dry matter, organic matter, and increased potential of gas production, digestibility of dry matter, NDF, and ADF of date kernel powder (P<0.05). Compared to the control treatment, the irradiated date kernel with AHP (interaction effect) caused to reduce the percentage of nutrients (except ash), increased gas production parameters, and nutrient digestibility. This decrease or increase was significant in some treatments and in some numerical or unchanged. However, for most of the parameters, the highest results were obtained during the treatment of high-dose irradiated date kernel powder (100 KGy or some cases 125 KGy) with different levels of hydrogen peroxide. Generally, the treatment by electron beam alone improved the nutritional value of date kernel powder, but the additive effect of the beam with hydrogen peroxide (interaction effect) was not considerable. Therefore, based on the results of this experiment, the best dose to improve the nutritional value of date kernel powder was 100 KGy with and without 2% hydrogen peroxide.