Effects of different levels of corn and urea addition and retention time on the digestibility of rice straw (Mil Yang 23) were estimated in vitro. The optimum ratio of rice straw to corn for the highest dry matter digestibility of rice straw was 50% r...
Effects of different levels of corn and urea addition and retention time on the digestibility of rice straw (Mil Yang 23) were estimated in vitro. The optimum ratio of rice straw to corn for the highest dry matter digestibility of rice straw was 50% rice straw and 50% corn, and cellulose digestibility of rice straw was increased by increasing levels of corn in the incubation medium. Dry matter, neutral detergent fiber, acid detergent fiber and cellulose digestibilities of rice straw were highest when 0.5% urea on the dry matter basis of rice straw was added. Dry matter digestibility of rice straw was 13.3% when retention time was 24hours and was 24.6% and 35.1% when retention time was 48 hours and 72 hours which were 85% and 164% increases as compared with 24 hours. Digestibilities of neutral detergent fiber, acid detergent fiber and cellulose of rice straw were increased as increasing retention time as dry matter digestibility. Total amount of rice straw dry matter digested for a day was decreased 7.5% and 12.5%, respectively, when retention time was increased to 48 hours and 72 hours from 24 hours. But total amount of neutral detergent fiber, acid detergent fiber and cellulose digested for a day were increased 10.0%, 11.1% and 2.9% when retention time was 48 hours, and 12.5%, 44.4% and 38.2%, respectively, when retention time was 72 hours as compared with 24 hours.