Evaluating Nutritional Potential of Bio-fermented Rice Husk in Broilers Diets

Evaluation of the nutritional potential of Rice Husk (RH) ensiled with 5% molasses at varying ensiling lengths was carried out on 360-day old chicks by feeding trials using rice husk at varying ensiling durations of 0, 1, 2, 3 and 4 weeks. Mixtures of RH and molasses were ensiled in air-tight plastic containers to ensure anaerobic fermentation. The post-ensiled RH on day 7, 14, 21 and 28 were sundried and analyzed for proximate compositions. The six formulated diets were isocaloric and isonitrogenous and fed ad libitum. Diet 1 had no RH inclusion; diet 2 contained RH supplementation without ensiling and diets 3, 4, 5 and 6 contained RH ensiled for 1, 2, 3 and 4 weeks, respectively. Analysed data showed that birds on diets in which RH was ensiled for 1 and 3 weeks had the lowest FCR values of 0.54±0.2 and 0.55±0.4 (p>0.05), respectively while the highest value of 0.61±0.2 (p>0.05) was obtained for birds on diet 6 (4 weeks RH ensiling). Data on carcass and organ characteristics favoured birds fed 3-week ensiled RH. Haematological indices such as PCV, HBC, MCHC, MCV and MCH showed no significant differences among treatment means (p>0.05), indicating that the husk-containing diets at 10% inclusion levels and at different ensiling durations did not predispose the chicks to any detectable diseases or malformation. The inclusion of rice husk ensiled with 5% molasses for 21 days appeared optimum and most suitable for effective utilization by broilers considering the growth performance, haematological indices and cost analyses.