ABSTRACT
A study was conducted using 20 Bunaji bulls with a live weight range of 210-249kg, and age
range of 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 five dietary treatments in a 2×2
factorial arrangement with a common control. Feeding and metabolism trials were conducted for
90 and 21 days, respectively. Rumen fluid was collected at 0, 2, 4 and 6hrs intervals to determine
the rumen pH, rumen ammonia nitrogen and rumen total volatile fatty acid for all the bulls. A
concentrate and basal diets of Digitaria smutsii were offered at 2% body weight. The proximate
and mineral composition of the feed ingredients showed that raw rice offal (RRO) had 7.69%
CP, 6.64% hemicellulose and 24.86% silica while parboiled rice offal had (PRO) 4.38% CP,
6.10% hemicellulose and 36.91% silica. In terms of mineral contents, RRO was only higher in
magnesium. The CP contents of the experimental diets vary between 19.69 and 20.44% while the
ME ranged from 10.86 to 11.16MJ/kg DM. The crude fibre varies from 14.59 to 17.84%. The
result of the fattening trial showed that there was no significant (P>0.05) difference in
concentrate, hay, total dry matter intakes and daily weight gain of bulls fed the control diet
(NRO) and diets containing RRO and PRO. Inclusion level of rice offal had no significant effect
(P>0.05) on intake of concentrate, hay and total feed intake. However, live weight gain of the
bulls on the control diet was significantly (P<0.05) higher than bulls on 20 and 30% rice offal
inclusion The intake of concentrate, hay, total feed and daily live weight gain of the bulls were
similar (P>0.05) irrespective of type and inclusion levels of the rice offal. All the bulls
experimented attained an average weight gain of between 1.11Kg to 1.29Kg which was above
1Kg. Rumen parameters were not significantly (P>0.05) affected by rice type but significantly
(P<0.05) affected by inclusion level. The result showed that Rumen pH at 6hrs after feeding at
0% (6.63) and 30% (6.76) were similar (P>0.05), but differed (P<0.05) significantly from 20%
(6.93) inclusion level. Total Volatile Fatty Acid (TVFA) was not significant at 0hr before
feeding with 0% being similar to 20 and 30% inclusion levels. Bulls on diet containing 20%
inclusion levels had the highest TVFA value (44.70 μmol) with the least (23.49 μmol.) being
those on 30%. Varying the levels of inclusion of RRO and PRO was not significant (P>0.05) on
rumen pH and TVFA at different sampling time. However, significant (P<0.05) difference was
observed for Rumen Ammonia Nitrogen (RAN) at 2hrs post feeding. Bulls on 30% PRO had the
highest value (22.41g/100g) while 20% PRO (14.80g/100g) had the least value. The result of the
carcass evaluation showed significant (P<0.05) difference with rice type for legs, spleen, Empty
stomach, Empty intestine, inguinal fat, abdominal fat with PRO being higher except for the
spleen which is higher for RRO. At varying levels of inclusion of rice offal, there was significant
(P<0.05) difference in dressing percentage, Beef percent of carcass, meat to bone ratio, legs,
hide, tail, empty stomach, stomach with content, empty intestine, Inguinal fat, kidney fat,
abdominal fat, depth of chest fat, testis and blood. Carcass evaluation for bulls on diets with
varying levels of inclusion of raw or parboiled rice offal were significant (P< 0.05) for legs,
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hide, empty stomach, empty intestine, inguinal fat and abdominal fat. Economic parameters such
as 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. Daily weight gain was significantly (P<0.05) affected
by inclusion level with bulls on the control diet 0% having the highest(1.29Kg) while those on
20% (1.15 Kg) and 30% (1.14 Kg) were statistically (P>0.05) similar. Value of gain was
significant (P<0.05) but decrease with increase in inclusion level. 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 therefore concluded from this
trial that the meat from bulls fed 30% rice offal, (either raw or parboiled) were of better quality
due to low fat. Similarly, rice offal of all kind (raw or parboiled) may be used to replace up to
30% of maize offal as source of energy in the diets of fattened Bunaji bulls without any
detrimental effect on live weight. Hence it can be adopted by farmers.
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
TITLE PAGE…………………………………………………………………………………. ….i
DECLARATION ……………………………………………………………………………………………………….. ii
CERTIFICATION …………………………………………………………………………………………………….. iii
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS…………………………………………………………………………………………. iv
TABLE OF CONTENTS …………………………………………………………………………………………… vii
LIST OF TABLES ……………………………………………………………………………………………………….x
LIST OF FIGURES ………………………………………………………………………………………………….. xii
LIST OF APPENDIX ………………………………………………………………………………………………. xiii
ABSTRACT …………………………………………………………………………………………………………….xiv
CHAPTER ONE ………………………………………………………………………………………………………….1
1.0 INTRODUCTION ………………………………………………………………………………………………..1
1.1 Aims and Objectives of Present Study……………………………………………………………………..3
1.2 Null Hypothesis (Ho) ……………………………………………………………………………………………3
1.3 Alternate Hypothesis (Ha) ……………………………………………………………………………………..4
CHAPTER TWO …………………………………………………………………………………………………………5
2.0 LITERATURE REVIEW …………………………………………………………………………………….5
2.1 Population, Breeds and Distribution of Beef Cattle in Nigeria …………………………………5
2.2 Beef Cattle Production Systems ………………………………………………………………………. 10
2.3 Nutrient Requirements of Beef Cattle ……………………………………………………………….. 17
2.4 Feed Resources for Cattle Feeding in Northern Nigeria ……………………………………….. 21
2.5 Energy Metabolism in Ruminants ………………………………………………………………………… 30
2.6 Nutritive Value of Different Rice Mill By-Products and their use in Cattle Feeding. …….. 31
viii
2.7 Feed digestion and physiology in Ruminants ……………………………………………………… 34
CHAPTER THREE ……………………………………………………………………………………………………. 36
3.0 MATERIALS AND METHODS ………………………………………………………………………… 36
3.1 Experimental Site ……………………………………………………………………………………………… 36
3.2 Fattening Trial ………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 36
3.3 Animal Management ………………………………………………………………………………………….. 38
3.4 Source of Rice Offal ………………………………………………………………………………………….. 38
3.5 Data Collection …………………………………………………………………………………………………. 38
3.6 Rumen Fluid Sampling ………………………………………………………………………………………. 38
3.7 Digestibility Study …………………………………………………………………………………………….. 39
3.8 Carcass Evaluation…………………………………………………………………………………………….. 39
3.9 Chemical analysis ……………………………………………………………………………………………… 40
3.10 Economic analysis …………………………………………………………………………………………… 41
3.11 Data analysis …………………………………………………………………………………………………… 41
CHAPTER FOUR ……………………………………………………………………………………………………… 42
4.0 RESULTS ………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 42
4.1 Chemical Analysis ………………………………………………………………………………………… 42
4.2 Effect of Diet containing Raw or Parboiled Rice Offal on the Fattening Performance of
Bunaji Bulls ……………………………………………………………………………………………………. 43
4.3 Effect of Diet containing Raw or Parboiled Rice Offal on Digestibility and Nitrogen
Balance of Bunaji Bulls ……………………………………………………………………………………. 49
4.4 Effect of Diet containing Raw or Parboiled Rice Offal on Rumen Metabolites of Bunaji
Bulls. … 53
4.5. Effect of Diet containing Raw or Parboiled Rice Offal on Carcass Yield of Bunaji
Bulls… ………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 59
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4.6 Economic Evaluation …………………………………………………………………………………….. 60
CHAPTER FIVE ………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 68
5.0 DISCUSSION …………………………………………………………………………………………………. 68
5.1 Chemical Analysis ………………………………………………………………………………………… 68
5.2 Effect of Diets containing Raw or Parboiled Rice Offal on the fattening Performance of
Bunaji Bulls ……………………………………………………………………………………………………. 73
5.3 Effect of Diets containing Raw or Parboiled Rice Offal on Nutrient Digestibility and
Nitrogen Balance of Bunaji Bulls ………………………………………………………………………. 74
5.4 Effect of Diets containing Raw or Parboiled Rice Offal on Rumen Metabolites of Bunaji
Bulls. …………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 76
5.5 Effect of diet containing Raw or Parboiled Rice Offal on Carcass Yield of Bunaji Bulls. –
———————————————————————————————————79
5.7 Economic evaluation ……………………………………………………………………………………… 81
CHAPTER SIX …………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 83
6.0 SUMMARY, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS ………………………………… 83
6.1 Summary …………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 83
6.2 Conclusion …………………………………………………………………………………………………… 84
6.3 Recommendation ………………………………………………………………………………………….. 85
REFERENCES …………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 86
CHAPTER ONE
1.0 INTRODUCTION
Nigeria’s cattle population is put at 16 million (FAO, 2009). This is made up of two broad
breeds, the Zebu breeds which include: Bunaji, Rahaji, Gudali etc and the Taurines breeds which
include: Kuri, Keteku, N’dama etc (Blench, 1999). The breed mostly fattened by small holder
cattle fattening operation is the white Fulani which constitute about 60% (Alawa et al., 2007),
this breed is reported to have a higher dressing percentage when compared with other indigenous
breeds of cattle (Adamu and Alawa, 2005). Bunaji is the most numerous and widely distributed
breed of cattle in Nigeria (Ahamefule et al., 2007) representing about 51% of the national cattle
population (Ikhatua, 2010) owned mainly by the normadic fulani people.
Cattle fattening is not a new practice in Nigeria, its practice has gained prominence as an
important business in the livestock industry. It gives the farmer year round employment which
provides him extra income and also provides a fast source of meat to meet the high demand for
high quality protein needed in human diet. The Northern region of Nigeria is a home to most of
the nation’s ruminant livestock. The region is however, characterised by long and pronounced
dry season of 6 -9 months, which is affected with serious feed shortage for ruminants.
Cheap and abundant agricultural by- products available to the farmer for fattening include maize
stover, maize offal, rice straw, rice bran, wheat offal, sorghum panicle, groundnut haulms
amongst others (Lamidi et al., 2008). Research efforts have been directed towards harnessing
and enhancing the utilization of these abundant agricultural by-products and crop residues in the
region for livestock feeding. Fetuga and Tewe (1985) have however, reported that livestock fed
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with crop residues and agro-industrial by-products could achieve substantial weight gains. The
utilization of these crop residues and agro-industrial by-products at reasonable cost could
enhance production and reduce cost of compounded feeds, without adversely affecting the
performance of the animals. This becomes more important considering the high cost and demand
for conventional feedstuffs and the competition between man and livestock for the same feed
resources (Iyeghe Erakpotobor et al., 2002).
There is need therefore, to evaluate alternate source of cereal by product that is cheaper in price
and abundant compared to maize offal for use as energy source for beef cattle fattening. Why
looking for alternate energy source, one of such by product is rice offal. There is tendency that
these by-product will be more available in future through the recent Presidential initiative on rice
production in Nigeria which is aimed at encouraging local rice production in order to reduce
overdependence of the country on imported rice (James, 2011)
Rice offal is an agro-industrial by-product that could contribute to livestock feeding. It is
available in large quantities all year round in many towns and villages in the rice growing areas
of Nigeria. It is a by-product of one step milling process of paddy rice which produces only two
products; the rice seeds ready for human consumption and the waste product which is made up of
rice husk, rice bran, rice polishing and small quantities of broken grains, it also has high content
of silica and fibre (Dafwang, 2006). Rice offal constitutes 40% of paddy rice (Duru and
Dafwang, 2010). In Nigeria the bulk of rice produced is being processed by small milling
machines which produce large quantities of rice offal which until recently were often burnt off to
reduce waste pollution (Dafwang and Damang, 1996). Nigeria current production of paddy rice
is estimated at 475.52 million tonnes (NAERLS and NFRA, 2009), although the country has the
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potential of producing about 190 million tonnes of rice offal thus pointing to the ready
availability of rice offal as livestock feed resources.
1.1 Aims and Objectives of Present Study
The study is targeted towards reducing dependence on maize offal as energy source for fattening
cattle.
Specific objectives are
1. To determine the effect of diet containing raw or parboiled rice offal and its level of
inclusion on the fattening performance of Bunaji bulls.
2. To determine the economics of fattening Bunaji bulls on diet containing raw or parboiled
rice offal
3. To determine the effect of diet containing raw or parboiled rice offal on the carcass yield
of fattened Bunaji bulls.
1.2 Null Hypothesis (Ho)
1. Diet containing Raw or Parboiled rice offal and its level of inclusion has no attribute
on the performance of the Bunaji bulls.
2. Fattening of Bunaji bulls with diet containing Raw or Parboiled rice offal has no
economic benefit.
3. Diet containing raw or parboiled rice offal has no attribute on the carcass yield of
fattened Bunaji bulls.
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1.3 Alternate Hypothesis (Ha)
1. Diet containing Raw or Parboiled rice offal and its level of inclusion has an attribute
on the performance of the Bunaji bulls.
2. Fattening of Bunaji bulls with diet containing Raw or Parboiled rice offal has
economic benefit.
3. Diet containing raw or parboiled rice offal has effect on the carcass yield of fattened
Bunaji bulls.
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