Proximate, microbial and mineral compositions of Millet Pennisetum gluacuum L. and sorghum bicolor compounded straw feed for ruminant

The study was aimed for the production and determination of the proximate, microbiological and mineral compositions of Millet Pennisetum gluacuum L. and Sorghum bicolor compounded straw feed for ruminant production. The result revealed a pH 5.791 which is suitable for fibre in the feed and promote chewing and rumination processes in the rumen, low percentage moisture content of 1.37 was recorded due to high drying in the field, high percentage fat and crude protein of 4.67 and 6.97 respectively this was as a result of the inclusion of groundnut cake as source of protein and fat in the feed, percentage digestible protein was 3.58, crude fibre value of 27.56 which satisfied the 18% requirement in the diet of ruminants, percentage carbohydrate was 54.2, and estimated energy value (Kcal) 286.95. Microbiological analysis showed a total plate count of 5 x10^-4 cfu/g, Mould count of 1 x10^-3 cfu/g, while Yeast, Staphylococcus, Coliform, Shigella, Salmonella and Escherichia coli count were not detected respectively. Mineral composition of sorghum and millet Pennisetum gluacuum compounded straw feed showed the presence of Fe, Na, K, Mg, Zn, Cu Mn, and Cr as 120.4189mg/kg, 570.9844 mg/kg, 227.1493 mg/kg, 568.2669 mg/kg, 12.9195mg/kg, 14.0666mg/kg, 62.9926mg/kg respectively and 18.584 mg/kg while Ni and Pb were not detected in the formulated ruminant feed.