ABSTRACT

An experiment was conducted to evaluate rice milling as substitute for maize in enzyme supplemented and unsupplemented diets of laying birds. Firstly, the Rice Milling Waste were analyzed to determine their proximate composition, mineral composition, anti-nutritional composition and fibre fractions. The Crude protein of rice milling waste used is 11.66%, fat 5.67%, Crude fibre 24.79%, Moisture content  9.57%, Ash 14.41% and Energy 1846 kcal/kg. Mineral content of RMW were 24.76 mg/100g, Phosphorus 59.29mg/100g, Magnesium 18.45 mg/100g Sodium 36.50 mg/100g and Potassium 43.75mg/100g. Antinutritional contents are Phytate 0.25mg/100g, Saponin 0.16mg.100g, Oxalate 0.48mg/100g, Tannin 0.024mg/100g Alkaloid 0.065mg/100g and Flavonoid 0.34mg/100g. While the fibre fractions of RMW were Cellulose 21.62%, Hemicellulose 16.35%, Lignin 11.69%, Acid detergent fibre (ADF) 15.24%, Neutral detergent fibre (NDF) 12.75% and Silica 13.68% respectively. In the second experiment, Ten (10) straight diets were formulated and divided into two (2) groups A and B such that group A (T1-T5) were the non-enzyme diets and group B (T6-T10) were the enzyme diets. Rice milling waste were substituted for maize in the ratio of 0, 25, 50, 75 and 100% in group A (T1-T5) and group B (T6-T10) respectively. The growth performance and economic efficiency of using RMW as substitute for maize in pullets (0-8weeks) ration were carried out. Final weight, daily weight and daily feed intake showed a significant (P<0.05) difference among the diet groups. Feed conversion ratio were observed to differ (P<0.05) significantly with T5 and T10 having the highest value. Cost/kg feed and Cost of feed consumed/bird showed a significant (P<0.05) difference among the treatment diets. Hematological parameters of substituting maize with RMW in the ration of pullets (0-8 weeks), showed a significant improvement (P<0.05) in the Hb, PCV and RBC as RMW increased in both groups of diets. WBC increased in group A diet, and decreased in group B diet. MCV, MCH and MCHC recorded significant (P<0.05) difference among the diet groups. Serum of starter pullets (0-8 weeks) showed Total protein, Albumin, ALT, AST, Bilirubin and Urea had a significant (P<0.05) difference among the diet groups. No significant (P>0.05) differences were observed in Cholesterol. A significant (P<0.05) difference exists in Creatinine and ALP. However, T5, T6, T8 and T9 are similar in ALP values. Performance and economic efficiency of growing pullets (8-16 weeks) were carried out. Final weight, Daily weight gain revealed a significant (P<0.05) improvement in both diet groups. Daily feed intake and feed conversion ratio improved significantly (P<0.05). Cost/kg feed and cost of feed consumed/bird recorded a significant (P<0.05) difference. Haematology of growing pullets (8-16weeks) did not differ (P>0.05) in Hb, PCV, MCV, MCH and MCHC. However, RBC and WBC differed (P<0.05) significantly. The serum of growing pullets (8-16 weeks) showed a significant (P< 0.05) difference in Total protein and Albumin in both group of diets. ALT revealed no significant (P>0.05) difference in both group of diets. AST values differed (P<0.05) significantly in both group of diets. A significant (P<0.05) difference were observed in Bilirubin and Urea in both group of diets. Creatinine and Cholesterol recorded a significant (P<0.05) difference among the treatments in both groups of diets. ALP also showed a significant (P<0.05) difference in both treatment group of diets. However, T1, T4and T5 are comparable. The final weight of layers birds differed (P<0.05) significantly in both diet groups. However, T1, T2, T7 and T8 are comparable. Daily weight gains are comparable within T1, T2, T3, T7 and T8 while T6, T9 and T10 are also comparable. Daily feed intake, feed conversion ratio, cost/kg/feed, cost of feed consumed/bird, weekly egg produced and Hen-day percent revealed a significant (P<0.05) difference among the treatment diets in both group. No significant (P>0.05) were observed in Hb of layer birds in both groups of diets. The PCV, RBC, WBC and MCV showed a significant (P<0.05) difference in both group of diets. MCH and MCHC had no significant (P>0.05) difference in both group of diets. Serum of layer birds (16-36wks) showed that T4 and T9 had the highest total protein while the lowest value were observed in T3 and T8. Albumin showed a significant (P<0.05) difference in both group of diets as RMW increased. ALT recorded a significant (P<0.05) difference in the treatments. AST decreased in value as RMW increased in both group of diet, and there were a significant (P<0.05) difference among the treatments. Bilirubin, creatinine, cholesterol Urea had a significant (P<0.05) difference among the treatments, while ALP showed no significant (P>0.05) difference. The external egg quality revealed that egg weight had no significant (P>0.05) difference. Egg length showed that T1, T2, T3, T4, and T5 are comparable to each other likewise T6, T7, T8, T9, and T10. Egg width, shell weight and shell thickness showed a significant (P<0.05) difference among the treatment diets. Internal egg quality showed no significant (P>0.05) difference in the egg volume, yolk weight and yolk width. However, T2 had the highest value of egg volume while T7 revealed the highest yolk weight and T7 had the highest yolk width. The albumen weight showed a significant (P<0.05) difference. Albumen height and yolk height showed a significant (P<0.05) difference in both diet groups. From the result it can be concluded that RMW can replace maize up to 100% and supplemented with enzyme for optimum performance, nutrient digestibility and better egg production with minimal environmental pollution effect.