Implementation of fermented rice bran as a flavor enhancer additive and its effect on feed utilization and beef cattle performance

Abstract

The objective of this experiment was to study the effect of fermented rice bran implementation as a flavor enhancer additive on feed utilization and cattle performance. The study was conducted in the Livestock Group at Sukoliman Village, Gunungkidul, Yogyakarta from February until March 2010 (for 4 weeks). The experiment used 25 heads of cattle with two different kinds of treatments; there were control diet containing unfermented rice bran and treatment diet containing fermented rice bran (± 40 g/day). Fermented rice bran as a flavor enhancer additive consisted of rice bran, chitin chitosan waste as mineral sources and inoculums (Rhizopus sp.) and contained crude protein, minerals, and amino acids. Data collected included feed consumption (daily), feed conversion ratio (cumulative), body weight (weekly), and average daily gain (daily). The data were analyzed using t-test of statistical analysis. The results showed that fermented rice bran as a flavor enhancer additive on diet for 4 weeks of observation could produced more efficiency (P<0.05)in feed conversion ratio (28.24) than control diet (30.53) and increased the body weight gain (P<0.01:11.93 vs. 1.57 kg/head/4 weeks). The fermented rice bran as a flavor enhancer additive on diet could increased the average daily gain (P<0.01: 0.43 vs. 0.06 kg/day). It can be concluded that the fermented rice bran by Rhizopus sp. has caused changes in texture and flavor of feed ingredients that made fermentation products more attractive, easily digestible, and nutritious so that it has significantly
improved the cattle performance.