The improvement of rice straw quality by urea-molasses treatment

A study was conducted in Balai Penelitian Temak Bogor to evaluate the effect of urea-molasses treatment on the quality of rice straw . Five levels of urea were 0%, 0.5%, 1%, 1 .5% and 2% and 4 levels of molasses were 0%, I%, 2% and 3%. The study was conducted based on factorial completely randomized design with 3 replications . Urea and molasses were mixed with 5 kg chopped rice straw and stored for 21 days in plastic bag . Parameters observed were dry matter, organic matter, crude protein, crude fibre, and silica contents . Nutritive value of rice straw was measured by proximate analysis and its nutrient digestibility by in-vitro using rumen liquid of fistulated Ongole-crossed cattle . The results showed that urea and molasses treatment on rice straw decreased the dry matter and silica contents but increased the crude protein content of rice straw (P<0 .01). Dry matter and organic matter digestibility of rice straw didn't show the significant different among urea treatment but highly significant increased (P