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Effect of Urea Treatment on Nutritional Value of Low Quality Sorghum

Roughages

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ISSN: 1858-7755 (Print); 1858-8212 (Online) Environment
Environment and Natural
and Natural Resources
Resources International
International Journal Journal
(ENRIJ),(ENRIJ), 2016,71-77
2019, 4(1), 1(1)

ENVIRONMENT AND NATURAL RESOURCES INTERNATIONAL

JOURNAL (ENRIJ)
A Refereed Scientific Journal of ENDRI, NCR, Sudan

ORIGINAL ARTICLE

Effect of Urea Treatment on Nutritional Value of Low Quality Sorghum

Roughages
Sulafa M.H. Hassouna1*, Abdelrahim A. Mohammed2, Mohammed I.H. Ali2 and
Aseel A.H. Ali2
1
Dept. of Animal Production, Environment, Natural Resources & Desertification Research Institute, National
Centre for Research, P.O. Box 6096, Khartoum, Sudan
2
Dept. of Animal Nutrition, College of Animal Production, University of Bahri, Sudan
*Corresponding author, E-mail: sullys_h@yahoo.com; Mobile: +249 123815411*

Accepted: November 2019; Published: December 2019

Abstract
Fibrous crop-residues are potential feed resources for livestock production worldwide, though
have limited uses due to their high fiber and low protein availability. In this respect, urea
treatment can improve the nutritive value of crop-residues. This study aimed to evaluate the
effect of urea treatment on nutritional values of residues of two sorghum cultivars, viz., grain
sorghum (Sorghum bicolor cv. Wad Ahmed) and sweet sorghum (S. bicolor cv. El Fao). Five
sorghum roughages were treated with 5% urea solution, besides similar samples left untreated
as controls. These samples were, grain sorghum stalks (GSS), grain sorghum cobs (GSC),
Sweet sorghum stalks (SSS), Sweet sorghum cobs (SSC) and Sweet sorghum bagasse (SSB).
Parameters measured were, dry matter (DM), organic matter (OM), crude ash, crude protein
(CP), crude fat/ether extract (EE), crude fiber (CF) and nitrogen free extract (NFE). Data were
analyzed using Students T-test at P<0.05. The physiological responses of urea treatment on
by-products included browning, absence of mold, softened and more pliable compared with
untreated one. Urea treated GSS showed a significant decrease (P< 0.05) in DM content,
compared with untreated. All treated samples attained significant (P< 0.05) increase in CP
content over the control, which recorded 5.7%, 3.9%, 3.6%, 2.9% and 3.6% for GSS, GSC,
SSS, SSC and SSB, respectively. On the other hand, CF content reduced in all urea treated
samples, while Ash content reduced from 7.7% to 7.4% in GSC and from 8.5% to 7.5% in
SSS, treated-samples. Slightly increase (P< 0.05) in OM content was obtained with treated
GSC and SSS, whereas, NFE reduced significantly (P< 0.05) from 59.6% to 53.6% with 5%
urea for GSS. In conclusion, 5% urea treatment improves protein level and reduces crude
fiber of low quality roughages. As advantages, urea is a cheap source of nitrogen that
deficient in straw, and is safer than using anhydrous or aqueous ammonia.
Keywords: Crop residues, grain sorghum, sweet sorghum, bagasse, nutritive value.

© 2019 ENDRI, NCR; All Rights Reserved

ENRIJ, 2019, 4(1) 71

Hassouna et al.; Effect of Urea Treatment on Nutritional Value of Low Quality Sorghum Roughages
Introduction
Inadequate feeding of livestock is a major
problem of animal production in Sudan.
There is insufficient supply of year-round
good quality feed due to several reasons. The
main factor is that the bulk of feed resources
come from unimproved natural pastures
(Maarouf, 2010). Low quality crop-residues
as well as some agro-industrial by-products
and certain cultivated forages cover the
restriction. Straw and crop leftovers after
harvesting and after processing are the main
‘by-products’ of agricultural crops. Whether
harvested or not, these by-products have
some value and farmers traditionally use
them in many ways, though classical uses
always lack scientific approach that would
maximize quality of such materials
(Kashongwe et al., 2017).
Large quantities of crop residues are used as
animal feed in many countries, but much is
still wasted for various reasons or used for
other purposes (Tesfaye, 2006). Sorghum,
Sorghum bicolor (L.) Mills., straw
contributes up to 40% value of the total crop
in dry areas (Badve et al., 1995). The
contribution of sorghum is about 70-85% of
the total crop production in Sudan, where the
total production is 2608.00/1000 MT
(AOAD, 2016). Moreover, sweet sorghum
straw is available after harvesting and
threshing of grains for extraction of bio-
ethanol, and this can also be used as feed
material for ruminants. Under the prevailing
circumstances, one option is sweet sorghum
bagasse, an agro-industrial by-product after
juice extraction. Khalil et al. (2015)
demonstrated that about five to six tons of
wet bagasse is obtained from 10 tons of
crushed sweet sorghum.
There are several approaches to improve the
nutritive value of crop residues for ruminant
feeding including improved handling and
processing to increase palatability, voluntary
intake, and digestibility to release nutrients
to animals. However, any treatment that can
increase the digestibility intake and crude
protein of these feeds should result in
improved animal performance (Efoulkes and
Preston, 1978). Urea is a non-protein
nitrogen compound (NPN), which contains
46% nitrogen. It is the most common source
of NPN used in ruminant feeding, because of
its low cost and easiness of use compared to
other sources (Santon and Whitter, 2009).
Treatment of plant straw with urea is viable
for improving the nutritive value of crop
residues (Plata et al., 1994).
The objective of this study was to evaluate
the nutritional value of grain sorghum
(Sorghum bicolor cv. Wad Ahmed) and
sweet sorghum (S. bicolor cv. El Fao)
residues when treated with 5% urea solution.
Materials and Methods
The study was carried out at the Laboratory
of Nutrition, Animal Production Department,
Environment, Natural Resources and
Desertification Research Institute, National
Center for Research (NCR), Khartoum.
Techniques and steps adopted to carry out
the experiment, were as follows.
1. Samples’ preparation and treatments
Agricultural crop-residues and agro-
industrial by-product of two sorghum
cultivars, viz., grain sorghum (Sorghum
bicolor cv. Wad Ahmed) and sweet sorghum
(S. bicolor cv. El Fao) were tested in-vitro
with urea solution. The sorghum samples
were taken from the NCR farm at Soba,
south Khartoum city, after harvesting
(August 2018). Accordingly, five kinds of
samples were prepared for treatments,
including four crop-residues (i.e., grain
sorghum stalks, grain sorghum cobs, sweet
sorghum stalks and sweet sorghum cobs) and
one industrial by-product (sweet sorghum
bagasse). Samples were firstly dried under
shade, then chopped. Each of the five
indicated sorghum samples were divided into
two equivalent groups, where samples of one
group were assigned to be treated with 5%
urea solution while those of the other group
to be left untreated as control checks. Hence,
samples were kept ready for treatment with
urea.
ENRIJ, 2019, 4(1) 72
Hassouna et al.; Effect of Urea Treatment on Nutritional Value of Low Quality Sorghum Roughages
According to Chenost and Kayouli (1997),
urea solution was prepared by weight and
dissolved in water. Hence, a weight of 5 kg
urea dissolved in 50 L water was the dose to
treat every 100 kg of dry baled forage.
Samples indicated for the treatment were
sprayed with the prepared urea solution, and
thoroughly mixed. They introduced into
polyethylene bags, pressurized, well
compacted to remove air, and tightly sealed
to ensure an anaerobic ensiling under room
temperature (30 - 32ºC). The samples were
left two weeks under such conditions for a
complete ensiling.
However, the above described process of
urea treatment guarantee successful ensiling
of the studied samples, which involves two
main actions, namely: i) hydrolysis of most
of the urea into ammonia, and ii) good
diffusion and fixation of released ammonia
to the roughages enhancing their chemical
properties. The chemical formula of this
reaction is described in a simplified manner
as follows:
Heat
CO (NH2)2 + H2O -------> 2 NH3 + CO2
Urea Urease Ammonia
After the incubation period, the bags were
opened to allow release of any excess
ammonia, and then the samples were
prepared for analysis.
2. Chemical analysis
Samples of untreated and treated sorghum
residues tested were ground, and divided
into two portions: one dried at 60ºC for
chemical analysis and the other portion
dried at 105ºC for dry matter
determinations. The major parameters
investigated were, dry matter (DM), organic
matter (OM), crude ash, crude protein (CP),
ether extract (EE), crude fiber (CF) and
nitrogen free extract (NFE). Samples were
analyzed for their proximate chemical
components, according to AOAC (1991).
The obtained data were analyzed using the
Students T-test at P< 0.05.
Results
Owing to the obtained results, urea treatment
appeared to affect some physical responses
as well as chemical composition of the tested
sorghum residues, as explained below.
1. Effect on physical responses
It was observed that, urea treated sorghum
residues showed browning color, but with
absence of any mold growth. They became
less coarse and smooth in texture, more
pliable and easy to twist and to fold,
compared with untreated samples. Strong but
good ammonia smells, without any trace of
bad fermentation smell was also detected
with the addition of urea.
2. Effect on chemical composition
Effects of urea treatment on dry matter
(DM), organic matter (OM), crude ash, crude
protein (CP), ether extract (EE), crude fiber
(CF) and nitrogen free extract (NFE) of the
tested samples were recorded (Table 1).
They included effect on five sorghum
residues [viz., grain sorghum stalks (GSS),
grain sorghum cobs (GSC), sweet sorghum
stalks (SSS), sweet sorghum cobs (SSC) and
sweet sorghum bagasse (SSB)].
Accordingly, 5% urea treatment revealed
non-significant (P> 0.05) decreases in the
DM contents of all these samples, except
GSS showed a significant decrease (P< 0.05)
in DM content compared with the untreated
control. Significant increase (P< 0.05) in the
OM content with GSC and SSS were
obtained, while the rest of samples were not
significantly affected (P> 0.05) with the
addition of urea.
Results regarding the effect of urea treatment
on CP contents of the same sorghum
residues (GSS, GSC, SSS, SSC and SSB),
were presented in figures 1a, 1b, 1c, 1d & 2,
respectively. Highly significant differences
were recorded with all samples compared
with untreated ones, where the CP content
increased from 3.6 % to 9.3%, 3.5% to 7.4%,
2.9% to 6.5%, 3.2% to 6.1% and from 2.6%
to 6.2% for the previous five residue
samples, respectively. On the other hand, CF
ENRIJ, 2019, 4(1) 73
Hassouna et al.; Effect of Urea Treatment on Nutritional Value of Low Quality Sorghum Roughages

Table 1. Chemical composition of Sorghum bicolor residues untreated and treated with 5%
urea.
Parameters (Mean ± SE)
Treatments DM% OM% CP% CF% Ash% EE% NFE%
Untreated GS stalks 95.2±0.1 90.8±0.2 3.6±0.5 21.3±0.4 9.2±0.2 1.4±0.1 59.6±0.4
Treated GS stalks 93.3±0.3 90.7±0.1 9.3±0.4 19.4±0.1 9.3±0.1 1.7±0.1 53.6±0.1
Significant level * NS * * NS NS *
Untreated GS cobs 95.1±0.4 92.3±0.1 3.5±0.1 22.9±0.4 7.7±0.1 0.9±0.0 59.9±0.8
Treated GS cobs 94.1±0.7 92.6±0.1 7.4±0.8 20.9±0.1 7.4±0.1 0.9±0.0 57.6±1.3
Significant level NS * * * * NS NS
Untreated SS stalks 94.3±1.2 91.5±0.1 2.9±0.1 22.0±1.0 8.5±0.1 1.4±0.1 60.7±2.6
treated SS stalks 94.0±0.2 92.5±0.2 6.5±0.2 21.4±0.5 7.5±0.2 1.7±0.1 57.2±0.3
Significant level NS * * NS * NS NS
Untreated SS cobs 96.1±0.1 93.1±0.1 3.2±0.2 20.6±0.3 6.9±0.1 1.0±0.1 64.5±0.7
Treated SS cobs 95.5±0.4 92.9±0.0 6.1±0.5 18.3±0.4 7.1±0.0 1.3±0.2 63.5±0.7
Significant level NS NS * * NS NS NS
Untreat. SS bagasse 95.3±0.6 95.6±0.6 2.6±0.2 26.0±0.5 4.4±0.6 0,9±0.1 61.5±0.9
Treated SS bagasse 94.8±0.1 96.4±0.2 6.2±0.1 24.6±0.6 3.6±0.2 1.2±0.1 59.3±0.7
Significant level NS NS * NS NS NS NS
GS = Grain sorghum; SS = Sweet sorghum; * = Significant at (P < 0.05); NS = Non
significant, according to Students T-test.

a) treated urea untreated treated urea untreated

9.96 9.24
8.75 8.84
7.23
4.63 6.12
3.06
3.5 3.63 3.5 3.49

Grain sorghum stalk Grain sorghum cobs

treated urea untreated treated urea untrated

5.9 6.47
3.1
5.13 2.39 3.5
6.27 6.98
2.96 3.02
2.75 6.14

Sweet sorghum stalk Sweet sorghum cobs

Figure 1. Effect of 5% urea treatment on CP content of: a) grain sorghum stalks, b) grain
sorghum cobs, c) sweet sorghum stalks, and d) sweet sorghum cobs..

ENRIJ, 2019, 4(1) 74

Hassouna et al.; Effect of Urea Treatment on Nutritional Value of Low Quality Sorghum Roughages

contents were reduced with urea treatment in

treated urea untreated all sample categories, with the reduction
being significant with GSS, GSC and SSC
2.57 3.1 samples, which decreased by 8.9%, 8.7%,
2.63 and 11.2%, respectively (Figs. 3a, 3b, and
6.12 6.25 3c). The CF contents were non-significantly
6.13 (P> 0.05) decreased from 22.0% to 21.4%
for SSS and from 26.0% to 24.6% for SSB.
Sweet sorghum bagasse However, the results obtained revealed that
5% urea treatment had no effect (P> 0.05) on
ash content of GSS, SSC and SSB, whereas,
Figure 2. Effect of 5% urea treatment on CP GSC and SSS were significantly (P< 0.05)
content of sweet sorghum bagasse. reduced from 7.7% to 7.4% and from 8.5%
to 7.5%, respectively. With respect to EE, it
was not affected (P> 0.05) with urea
treated urea untreated treatment for the studied residues. Virtually,
the results explained that NFE was not
21.38 21.46 affected by urea treatment for all samples,
20.86
20.33 except for GSS, it was reduced significantly
19.53
18.27 (P< 0.05) from 59.6% to 53.6% compared
with the untreated one.

Grain sorghum stalk Discussion

The most obvious physical changes recorded
treated urea untreated for sorghum residues treated with 5% urea
were the color, good ammonia smell and
23.56 smooth texture. The browning of residues
22.73 22.34 occurred during the ammonization
21.18 procedure, supports earlier works of Saenger
20.76
20.35 et al. (1982) and Egbu (2014) with urea
ammoniation of maize stover. According to
Buettner (1978), the browning of
ammoniated wheat straw occurs at room
Grain sorghum cobs
temperature and is more severe with
increasing rate of ammonia, time of exposure
treated urea untreated and temperature. The urea treated sorghum
residues was less coarse and more pliable
20.93 20.85 than the untreated sorghum residues; this
19.92 agrees also with the work of Saenger et al.
18.38 18.89
17.47
(1982), Ali et al. (2012) and Egbu (2014).
The increased crude protein content of
treated roughages in this study was ascribed
to ammoniating process. This supports
Sweet sorghum cobs findings of Saenger et al. (1982), Tesfaye
(2006), Ali et al. (2012) and Egbu (2014),
Figure 3. Effect of 5% urea treatment on CF who reported increased crude protein of
content of: a) grain sorghum stalks, b) grain various crop residues because of
sorghum cobs, and c) sweet sorghum cobs.. ammoniation. The reduced crude fiber

ENRIJ, 2019, 4(1) 75

Hassouna et al.; Effect of Urea Treatment on Nutritional Value of Low Quality Sorghum Roughages
contents detected in most sorghum
roughages, suggests that the CF had become
more digestible after treatment with urea.
This also came in agreement with some
previous works (Saenger et al., 1982, and
Egbu, 2014). Although, ash content was
reduced with 5% urea treatment for grain
sorghum cobs and sweet sorghum stalks, this
item cannot serve as an indicator of
treatment effects as it is not present in the
treatment agents (viz., ammonia or urea). In
the limit, it may be used as an indicator of
losses of soluble elements during treatment
if the roughage is observed to have ash
content significantly lower than the untreated
roughage (Chenost and Kayouli, 1997).
Conclusion and Recommendation
The study proved significantly variable
responses of the different sorghum (Sorghum
bicolor) residues to urea treatment. The
treatment improves quality of sorghum
residues via the action of ammoniation. It
mostly decreases non-valuable materials
(e.g., dry matter and crude fiber) due to their
change into more nutritive and digestible
ones like crude protein and organic matter. In
general, urea ammoniation can be considered
as one of the strategies that bring about an
efficient utilization of low value crop
residues for livestock feeding in Sudan,
where plenty of such materials are found.
Exploitation of these resources could fill the
gap in feed requirements, improve animal
health, and help in recycling of wastes and
environmental safety. The technique is very
simple to apply, and farmers can easily adopt
it, hence, should be disseminated in target
areas.
Acknowledgements
Thanks are due to staff members of Animal
Production Department, ENDRI, for their
kind assistance and co-operation during the
course of this study. Our deepest
appreciation also extended to staff members
of the College of Animal Production,
University of Bahri, Khartoum Bahri/ Sudan.
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