Utilization of Rice Offal in Practical Ration of Broilers.

Abstract

Rice offal obtained in Zaria, Kaduna state contained proximate chemical composition of 94.42% dry matter, 5.09% crude protein, 30.39% crude fibre, 3.40% ether-extract, 16.67% ash and 46.1% nitrogen free-extract. Effects of various graded levels of rice offal diets on broilers were investigated in two experiments, a starter phase and a finisher phase. In each experiment, rice offal was fed at graded levels of 0, 5, 10, 15 and 20% in a completely randomized design. In experiment one (starter phase) day old chicks were fed with starter diets from 0-4 weeks. Results showed that rice offal could be fed at levels up to 15% without adverse effect on growth performance. In experiment two (finisher phase), broilers were fed with the finisher diets from 5-8 weeks and tolerated 15% rice offal inclusion in their diets with significant growth. In all experiments there was increase in feed intake as the level of rice offal increased.

Keywords: Rice offal, chicken diets, starter phase, finisher phase.

The Zoologist Vol. 5 2007: pp. 1-7