Uji Kualitas Fisik Silase Limbah Tanaman Singkong (Manihot Esculenta) dengan Penambahan Bioaktivator Mikroorganisme Lokal (Mol) sebagai Pakan Ternak Ruminansia

Abstract

The availability of forage as the primary feed source for ruminants is often limited during the dry season. One potential alternative is the utilization of cassava (Manihot esculenta) plant residues as silage material. However, cassava leaves contain toxic compounds, particularly hydrocyanic acid (HCN), which can be harmful to livestock health if not properly processed. The addition of Local Microorganism (MOL) bioactivators during the ensiling process is expected to accelerate fermentation and improve silage quality. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of various MOL concentrations on the physical quality of cassava plant residue silage. The research was conducted at the Feed Science and Technology Laboratory, Faculty of Agriculture, Universitas Sumatera Utara, using a Completely Randomized Design (CRD) with four treatments and five replications: P0 (without MOL), P1 (1% MOL), P2 (3% MOL), and P3 (5% MOL). The observed parameters included color, aroma, texture, and pH. The results showed that MOL addition had a highly significant effect (P<0.05) on silage aroma and texture, color. The best results were observed at 5% MOL concentrations, with higher average physical quality scores than the control. Although pH values did not differ significantly (P>0.05), they remained within the optimal range (3.5–3.6) for high-quality silage. In conclusion, the use of MOL is effective in enhancing the physical quality of cassava plant residue silage and presents a viable solution for processing agricultural waste into an economical and sustainable alternative feed for ruminants.