| dc.description.abstract | Three experiments were conducted to evaluate the performance of laying hens fed on fermented rice bran (FRB) utilizing A. ficuum. First, the phytase-producing ability of A. ficuum was tested. The mold produce 2.561 AU of phytase was grown for 88 hours on rice bran medium. Second, in vitro and in vivo studies were carried out on rice bran before and after fermented utilizing A. ficuum. Fermentation of rice brand reduced phytic acid by about 83.25 persen, but had no effect on protein digestibility. Protein content, Ca and P retention, and P availability in FRB were higher (P<0.05) than in unfermented rice bran (URB). There were no differences in metabolizable energy content and N retention. Third, five treatment-diets and a control diet were each fed to five groups of four hens in individual battery cages. The treatment diets contained 10 to 50 persen FRB, the control diet contained 30 persen URB. All diets contained 15 persen protein with 2650 kcal/kg ME and had similar Ca, Pav, lysine methionine and TSAA contents. Egg production, egg weight, feed conversion, Haugh unit, shell thickness, yolk index, Ca retention and Mg content of shell were not affected by fermentation. Feed consumption and P retention in shell of hens fed FRB diets were higher (P<0.05) than those fed the control diet. The higher FRB content of diet increased (P<0.05) feed conversion, P retention and Mg content of shell; reduced (P<0.05) feed consumption, egg production and yolk in-index. Egg weight, Haugh unit, shell thichness and Ca retention in shell were not affected. | id |
