Effect of ensiling and enzyme supplementation on rice husk fed to broilers chicken at starter phase

Abstract

Freshly milled Ricehusk was obtained and ensiled for varying lengths of 7,14,21 and 28 days usinga ratio 1,1,0.05 of water, Rice husk and molasses. The ensiled Rice husk wasopened and sun dried for 3days at the end of each ensuing period until amoisture content of between 12-13% was attained. Diets were formulated forrespective treatments, with treatments 2, 4, 6, 8 and 10 having Roxazyme G2 inclusionlevel of 2%, treatments 1, 3, 5, 7, 9 and 11 are without Roxazyme G2. Resultobtained shows that birds on Roxazyme G2 inclusive diets had a higher weightgain than their duplicate diets, except for diets 10 and 11 which are having asimilar (P>0.05) weight gain of (73.6±4.2a).  Feed intake of birds on diet 1 was the least(34.3g±0.3) although significantly (P>0.05) similar to values obtained forbirds on other diets (Treatment 2 - 11). The Nitrogen Retention values weresimilar (P>0.05) for birds on all diets except for diet 10 and 11 which weresignificantly different (P<0.05).There was no mortality during theexperimental period. The cost of finished feed diet expectedly revealed thatthe control diet was the most expensive diet at 5 naira/100g followed by thereference diet (diet 2), diet 4, 6, 8, and 10 in which Roxazyme G2 was present,having the same value of 7.5 naira/100g. Result of the study suggest thatinclusion level of fibre ingredient and Roxazyme G2 in broiler starter dietsmay be nutritionally beneficial in poultry feeding and subsequently reduce theuse of the expensive animal energy sources in practical feed formulation.