Effect of feeding graded levels of broken rice on nutrients metabolisability in white pekin ducks during second year of laying

To study the effect of feeding of different levels of broken rice (BR) replacing wheat on various nutrient metabolisability, an experiment was conducted on White Pekin ducks during the second year of laying. Seventy-five white Pekin ducks in the second year of laying (82 wks) were divided into five groups with three replicates in each group, and each replicates having five ducks. Five experimental diets without (BR-0) and with BR, replacing 25 (BR-25), 50 (BR-50), 75 (BR-75) and 100 (BR-100) per cent wheat, were prepared. The diets were offered randomly to the above groups for 73 d. There was a significant (P<0.05) difference in DM and OM metabolisability among the groups, being highest in BR-75 (78.87 and 79.59%) and lowest in BR-25 (76.17 and 76.54%); however, the values of all the treatment groups were similar to the control. There was no difference (P > 0.05) in the metabolisability of CP (67.40–70.09%) among the groups. The metabolisability of EE was higher (P<0.05) in BR-75 (79.41%) than in the other groups (75.22–79.41%). The CF metabolisability (59.57–62.05%) was similar among the groups. There was no difference (P>0.05) in the nitrogen balance (g/d), i.e. nitrogen intake (5.56–6.25 g/d); nitrogen outgo (1.74–1.87, g/d); nitrogen balance (3.76–4.38 g/d); among the groups. The nitrogen balance as a percentage of nitrogen intake (67.40–70.09%) was also similar among the groups. It is concluded that wheat can be completely replaced by broken rice in the diets of white Pekin ducks during the second year of laying without affecting the metabolisability of various nutrients.