Detoxification of high tannin sorghum grains

One in vitro and two in vivo experiments were conducted to determine appropriate methodology for and effects of detoxifying Darset, Redlan, and one commercial hybrid brown sorghum grain variety in threonine-deficient and nutritionally complete poultry rations. The detoxification procedure, which involves adding water to sorghum grain to bring dry matter to 70% and subsequent anaerobic incubation at 32 C, removes up to 100% of the chemically detectable tannin. Rate of tannin elimination was dependent upon sorghum grain variety with commercial brown sorghum requiring approximately 3 days longer than the Darset for tannin elimination. Detoxification of high tannin sorghum grains improved (P less than .05) growth rate and feed efficiency dramatically in threonine-deficient, crystalline amino acid-fortified rations; the same process applied to low tannin sorghum grains was without benefit. The desirable effects of this type of grain processing appear to be due to the reduced grain tannin content. Including detoxified sorghum grains in a practical-type broiler ration failed to elicit a weight gain response although feed efficiency was improved by 13% over untreated sorghum and 3% over corn grain. Lack of a gain response was likely due to the excess protein included in the basal diet. This type of grain processing offers an alternative method of reducing sorghum grain tannin content and is likely of greatest value in rations containing marginal indispensable amino acid and protein levels.