Effect of hypochlorite oxidant treatment on nutrient composition and digestion of Tifton 85 bermudagrass or cottonseed hulls

The objectives of this study were to determine the effects of treating Tift on 85 bermudagrass hay (BGH) or cottonseed hulls (CSH) with a hypochlorite oxidant on nutrient composition and in situ and in vitro disappearances of dry matter (DM) neutral detergent fiber (NDF) and acid detergent fiber (ADF ). The hypochlorite oxidant decreased (P<0.05) concentration of ADF and had no effect on the concentrations of NDF or acid detergent lignin, in situ D M or NDF disappearance, or in vitro DM disappearance. Disappearance of NDF in vitro declined slightly with increasing hypochlorite oxidant levels. Alt hough not significant, the hypochlorite oxidant tended to numerically incre ase the total potentially digestible fraction of DM for CSH after fitting t he in situ disappearance data to the nonlinear model p=a+b (1-e(-ct)). It i s concluded that the hypochlorite oxidant failed to significantly improve t he nutritive value or digestibility of BGH or CSH.