Abstract
The composition of urea treated rice milling waste and its application as animal feed was studied. The proximate analysis of the urea treated rice milling waste showed that it contained 94.90% dry matter, 10.38% crude protein, 5.89% crude fibre, 0.16% ether extract, 7.47% ash, and 54.81% nitrogen-free extracts. The untreated rice milling waste contained 94.34% dry matter, 9.11% crude protein, 6.37% crude fibre, 0.18% ether extract, 8.11% ash, and 54.69% nitrogen-free extracts. Four experimental diets were prepared containing two different levels (30 and 35%) each of untreated and urea treated rice milling waste mixed with commercial pelletized chick mash to assess their effects on weaner rabbits. Data on the feed intake, growth rate, and feed conversion ratio (FCR) of weaner rabbits fed diets containing two different levels each of untreated and urea treated rice milling waste were compared using two-way analysis of variance (ANOVA). There were no significant effects (P > 0.05) of dietary treatment and level of inclusion for average feed intake, average body weight gain, and the FCR. The study indicated that rabbits can be successfully raised on a commercial chick mash mixed with 35% rice milling waste treated or untreated without any adverse effect on growth. Key words: Rice milling waste, weaner rabbit, proximate analysis, analysis of variance, animal feed, urea.
Highlights
Rice milling waste is one of the commonest agroindustrial wastes generated in large quantities in most parts of Nigeria
The average feed intakes were comparable among the four groups of rabbits
Performance of the weaner rabbits fed with the experimental diets
Summary
Rice milling waste is one of the commonest agroindustrial wastes generated in large quantities in most parts of Nigeria. Rice processing generates a great volume of by-products that constitute a large proportion of agro-industrial waste in many parts of the world (NAERLS and PCU, 2004). Waste treatment techniques are normally employed to alter the physical, chemical, or biological characteristics of waste and make it safer for disposal. These include composting, pyrolysis, gasification, and combustion. In Nigeria and many other developing countries, where the bulk of rice produced is for consumption, the most common waste treatment technique employed is combustion which has several disadvantages including environmental pollution (Thipwimon et al, 2004; Bhattacharya et al, 1999). Some countries under the environmental protection legislation strongly oppose and even prohibit this practice
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