Evaluation of Grain Maize Harvest Residues as Fodder After Partial Torrefaction Under Microwave

Abstract

With a project supported by Siirt University (Siirt, Türkiye), we determined the conversion potential of residues of field cropped grain maize into animal feed via torrefaction. Torrefaction application was performed in a microwave device for four different periods of time (0, 4, 8, and 12 minutes) in three replications at three different watts (300, 600, and 900 watts). The dry matter digestion was determined for the ground starter and final materials by the Daisy Incubator Technique (ANKOM). Changes in dry matter, protein, and ADF values were measured by standard feed quality analyses. The effects of applications on dry matter ratio, protein, and in vitro digestibility were found to be statistically significant, whereas the effect on ADF ratio was insignificant. Low-term torrefaction applications significantly increased the dry matter ratio, whereas high power and long application periods significantly increased the protein ratio. In vitro, digestibility was decreased due to the increase in the power application and duration of torrefaction. A material with high dry matter and high protein content but low in vitro digestibility was obtained as a result of the torrefaction applications tested in the study under microwave conditions with grain maize harvest residues. Although the applications tested have decreased the value of maize harvest residues as cattle feed, the obtained material with high dry matter and protein content with this torrefaction method has the potential to be used as a nutrient medium in different living environments (e.g. bacterial or fungal) which may be subjected to further investigations.