Ensiling Pretreatment of Banana Waste By-products: Influences on Chemical Composition and Environmental Rumen Biogas and Fermentation

The negative effect of waste from agricultural activities on man and animals had continued to be worrisome. This research inquired into the benefits of banana by-products silage (BBPs) supplemented with different substrates and urea. Samples of BBPs (banana peels, leaves, pseudostem and stalk) were cut, dried and bulked to formulate eight treatment (silage) groups namely; BBPs without additives (high moisture material 80–90%), BBPs treated with urea (2.5% of fresh weight), BBPs treated with wheat straw (20% of fresh weight), BBPs treated with wheat bran (20% of fresh weight), BBPs treated with alfalfa (20% of fresh weight), BBPs treated with wheat straw and urea, BBPs treated with wheat bran and urea and BBPs treated with alfalfa and urea arranged in a 2 × 4 factorial arrangement using completely randomized design. Results indicated that addition of different absorbents and urea significantly (P < 0.05) influenced the chemical composition. Highest crude protein and NH3–N contents were observed in silage with “urea and alfalfa”. Different absorbents and urea significantly (P < 0.05) influenced gas production from insoluble fraction (b), gas production rate constant for insoluble fraction (c), organic matter digestibility and metabolizable energy. Highest values for b and organic matter digestibility were obtained in BBPs silage with both “urea and alfalfa”. It can be inferred from this study that anaerobic fermentation of ensiling-treated banana wastes have an appreciable level of nutrient and can be adopted in livestock feeding. Moreover, it will reduce or eliminate danger (on both man and animals) posed by these waste on the environment.