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.