EVALUATION OF RAW OR PARBOILED RICE OFFAL AS ENERGY SOURCE FOR FATTENING BUNAJI BULLS

Abstract

Feeding trial was conducted for 90 days using 20 Bunaji bulls with a live weight range of 210-249kg and aged 2-3 years to evaluate the feeding value of raw or parboiled rice offal as energy source for bull fattening. Four bulls per treatment were allotted to 5 dietary treatments in a 2x2 factorial arrangement with a common control. A concentrate and basal diets of Digitaria smutsii were offered at 2% body weight. The CP contents of the experimental diets varied between 19.69 and 20.44% while the ME ranged from 10.86 to 11.16MJ/kg DM. The crude fibre varied from 14.59 to 17.84%. The intake of concentrate, hay, total feed and daily live weight gain of the bulls were similar (P>0.05) with type and inclusion levels of rice offal. All the bulls in experiment attained an average weight gain of between 1.11Kg to 1.29Kg. Economic parameters like cost per Kg gain, net benefit (NB) and return to naira invested on feed (RIF) were similar (P>0.05) for bulls on both RRO and PRO. There was no significant (P>0.05) differences in the Value of weight gain (VWG), NB, RIF, Cost of feed and Cost per Kg gain for bulls on varying levels of inclusion of RRO or PRO. The inclusion of raw rice offal or parboiled rice offal lead to reduction in feed cost from N25,001.10 to a range of N22,115.50-N23,639.6 (about 5.45%-11.54% reduction in feed cost). It was concluded from this trial that rice offal can replace up to 30% of maize offal as source of energy.