Utilization of Energy and Protein in Local Indian Crossb red Gilts Fed Diets Containing Different Levels of Rice Bran

Fifty four crossbred gilts of 26.38${\pm}$0.85 kg body weight and 25 weeks of age were randomly divided into three groups, having six replicates of three animals each and were assigned to one of the three dietary treatments containing corn, wheat bran and rice bran (RB) at 35, 47 and 0% in $R_1$; 17.5, 23.5 and 41% in $R_2$ and 0, 0 and 82% in $R_3$. Soybean meal and fishmeal were used as source of protein at 10 and 6%, respectively, in all the rations. Average daily CP, DCP, DE and ME intake per kg $W^{0.75}$ and body weight gains were lowest (p<0.01) in gilts fed 82% RB ($R_3$), followed by $R_2$ and R1. Utilization of protein with respect to nitrogen balance and DCP conversion efficiency did not differ (p>0.05) between the treatment groups. All the gilts were in positive nitrogen balance. However, the excretion of dietary nitrogen and energy through faeces was higher (p<0.01) in gilts fed RB. However, the DE and ME conversion efficiency were higher (p<0.01) in gilts fed RB. Therefore, it can be concluded that the digestibility of energy and protein in diets containing rice bran goes on decreasing with the increasing level of fat and fibre, but the metabolizability of the energy and protein was better in pigs fed RB in the diet.