Effect of germination and Sodium hydroxide treatment on protein digestibility of sorghum

Protein digestibility is an effective means of determining growth and development in animals, however few studies have been undertaken on Protein digestibility of sorghum which is one of the main cereals used in Poultry feeding. This study was undertaken to access the Protein digestibility of some sorghum cultivars grown in Sudan. In this study three groups of sorghum cultivars of comparatively low -Tabat and Safra, medium- Umbenin and Wad Akar and high-Yarawasha and HSP 5907 tannin content were subjected to two treatments. Replicates of the three sorghum cultivars groups with varying tannin content with Faterita-sorghum of low tannin content acting as control were germinated. The sorghum groups were later treated with sodium hydroxide (NaOH). Diets containing low, medium and high tannin sorghum grains were subjected to protein digestibility assay performed through the traditional method of total excreta collection. Results showed that sorghum treated with sodium hydroxide produced better performance (p<0.05) with reduction in tannin content compared to the germinated category, except Fataritasorghum where germination produced similar results to those treated with sodium hydroxide.The results suggest that reatment with sodium hydroxide (NaOH) has potential to improve protein digestibility (p<0.05) at all tannin levels. Conversely, treatment through germination failed to induce any improvement on protein digestibility (p>0.05). Therefore, tannin levels are not good indicators for assessing tannin effects in broiler diets.