IN VITRO FERMENTATION CHARACTERISTICS OF DIETS CONTAINING DIFFERENT INCLUSION LEVELS OF CHITIN FROM SNAIL SHELLS

ABSTRACT

This study investigated the in vitro fermentation characteristics of feeds formulated with 0%, 3% and 6% inclusion levels of chitin extracted from snail shells and 0.01% oxytetracycline. Proximate analysis was conducted to determine the chemical composition of the feeds, encompassing Dry matter, crude protein, Crude fiber, Ash, Ether Extract and Nitrogen-Free Extract, for each feed. Rumen liquor obtained from West African Dwarf goats was utilized in an in vitro fermentation model to assess fermentation characteristics such as gas production, Organic Matter Digestibility (OMD), Dry Matter Digestibility (DMD), and Short-Chain Fatty Acid (SCFA) production. The results indicated that the total gas production did not vary significantly (p>0.05). For methane production, volume varied significantly with higher inclusion levels showing potential to reduce methane production. Through in vitro experimentation, we aim to uncover how chitin inclusion affects fermentation processes within the gut, thereby highlighting its potential as a functional ingredient in animal feed formulations.