Effects of extrusion of rice bran on performance and phosphorous bioavailability in broiler chickens.
BACKGROUND
Rice bran is a by-product of the rice-milling process, which remains largely underutilized; however, efficient processing treatments may improve its feeding value for chickens. This is of great economic and environmental importance, as this can lower the production costs, and offer an opportunity for valorization of a low-quality agricultural by-product, to a high-value feed source.


METHODS
This experiment was conducted to study the effect of extruded rice bran on performance and phosphorous (P) bioavailability in broiler chickens. In a completely randomized design, 200 seven-day-old broilers (Cobb 500) were allotted to five treatments with five replicates per treatment and 8 chicks per replicate, and fed with their respective diet during the starter (8 to 21 days) and grower (22 to 42 days) periods. Diets were a basal corn-soybean based diet (T1), or diets containing 20 % rice bran (T2), 30 % rice bran (T3), 20 % extruded rice bran (T4), or 30 % extruded rice bran (T5).


RESULTS
Birds feeding on T4 and T5 diets had a higher body weight gain and lower feed-to-gain ratio compared to those feeding on T2 and T3 diets (p < 0.05). Birds receiving diets containing extruded rice bran had higher total P availability and tibia ash content, as compared with those receiving diets containing un-extruded rice bran (p < 0.05). Relative weight of the pancreas was higher in birds receiving T2 and T3 diets.


CONCLUSIONS
The results confirmed the beneficial effect of extrusion treatment of rice bran on performance and P availability in broilers. Up to 30 % extruded rice bran may be included in the broiler diet without apparent adverse effects on the performance.
Department of Animal Science, College of Agriculture, Shiraz University, 71441-65186 Shiraz, Iran.
Ali Akbar
AA
Zare-Sheibani
Department of Animal Science, College of Agriculture, Shiraz University, 71441-65186 Shiraz, Iran.
Masoud
M
Arab
Department of Animal Science, College of Agriculture, Shiraz University, 71441-65186 Shiraz, Iran.
Mohammad Javad
MJ
Zamiri
Department of Animal Science, College of Agriculture, Shiraz University, 71441-65186 Shiraz, Iran.
Mohammad Reza
MR
Rezvani
Department of Animal Science, College of Agriculture, Shiraz University, 71441-65186 Shiraz, Iran.
Mohammad
M
Dadpasand
Present Address: Golpooneh Safahan Co., Isfahan Science & Technology Town, Sheikh Bahai Building, Isfahan, Iran ; Department of Animal Science, College of Agriculture, Shiraz University, 71441-65186 Shiraz, Iran.
Farhad
F
Ahmadi
Broiler chicken; Extrusion; P availability; Performance; Rice bran