DefinePK

Abstract

The aim of this study was to obtain the inoculum doses of Lactobacillus fermentum with optimal fermentation time which has the highest protease activity in increasing the protein contents and excellence of fermented palm kernel cake (FPKC). In this study, Palm kernel cake (PKC) and L. fermentum were fed to 30 broiler chicken Cobb strain CP-707 of 4-weeks age (body weight of 1.5kg) under completely randomized block design with a 3×3 factorial pattern with 3 replications in each group. The first factor (A) was the inoculum dose consisting of 5, 7.5 and 10% (A1, A2, and A3, respectively). The second factor (B) was fermentation length, consisting of 2, 4 and 6 days (B1, B2 and B3). The observed variables were protease activity, cellulase activity, mannanase activity, crude protein (CP), crude fiber (CF), crude lipid (CL), nitrogen retention (NR), crude fiber digestibility (CFD), and metabolizable energy (ME). The results showed a very significant interaction (P<0.01) between inoculum dose and fermentation length on protease activity, crude protein content, crude fat, and nitrogen retention. Each factor also showed a highly significant (P<0.01) effect on protease activity, content of CP, CL, and NR. It can be concluded that PKC fermented with an 10% inoculum dosage and 4 days’ fermentation gave the best results in terms of cellulase activity 18.01U/mL, manannase 24.95 U/mL, protease 10.55U/mL, CP 26.31%, CF 15.71%, CL 1.45%, NR 63.92%, CFD 55.91% and ME 2752.69kcal/kg.