Improving the Nutritional Value and Safety of Cotton Stalk Feed via Response Surface Methodology and Co-Fermentation Techniques
2025
Kunyi Li | Yuansheng Xu | Kai Guo | Weidong Cui | Yang Li | Min Hou
Cotton stalks, a major agricultural byproduct, are challenging to decompose naturally; however, they can be transformed into valuable animal feed through microbial fermentation. This study identifies <i>Aspergillus niger</i> HQXY as the most efficient cellulase-producing strain out of six evaluated strains, using it to ferment cotton stalks and significantly degrade cellulose and hemicellulose. By optimizing solid-state fermentation conditions via response surface methodology, the crude fiber content of the cotton stalks was reduced by 34%. A novel sequential co-fermentation approach combining <i>Aspergillus niger</i> with probiotics (<i>Bacillus licheniformis</i>, <i>Candida utilis</i>, and <i>Lactobacillus casei</i>) further enhanced the feed’s nutritional profile. The optimal results were obtained using a 1:1:1 ratio of strains (<i>Aspergillus niger</i>, <i>Bacillus licheniformis</i>, and <i>Lactobacillus casei</i>) at a 8% inoculation rate over 30 days. This co-fermentation strategy lowered the pH and reduced gossypol to 15.5 mg·kg<sup>−1</sup>. The findings highlight the effectiveness of <i>Aspergillus niger</i> HQXY and probiotics in improving the quality of cotton stalks, by reducing crude fiber and gossypol content, thus offering a promising method for the sustainable utilization of agricultural waste as high-quality animal feed.
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