Livestock Research for Rural Development 21 (12) 2009 Guide for preparation of papers LRRD News

Citation of this paper

Composition and nutritive value of rice distillers’ by-product (hem) for small-holder pig production

Luu Huu Manh, Nguyen Nhut Xuan Dung, La Van Kinh*, Tran Chi Binh, Bui Phan Thu Hang** and Truong van Phuoc***

Cantho University, Cantho, Vietnam
lhmanh@ctu.edu.vn
* Institute of Agricultural Science for Southern Viet Nam
** An Giang University
*** Tien Giang University

Abstract

A survey of 40 families producing pigs in the Mekong delta showed  that farmers who used  “hem“ (rice distillers’ by-product)  fed much less purchased concentrates (usually none) and had greater economic benefits, even though the performance traits of their pigs were lower, than in the case of producers who did not use “hem” but fed higher levels of concentrates. Analysis of samples of "hem" showed that the protein content ranged from 17 to 33% (mean of 23%) in dry matter and that it had a well-balanced array of amino acids.

Key words: Amino acids, by-product, economics, growth, protein, reproduction, survey


Introduction

In recent years pig production in the Mekong delta has been decreasing because of the imbalance between feed and animal product prices, which has resulted in lower economic returns for small farmers. Many feed factories offer concentrates for pig producers not only in the towns, but even in the remote rural areas. This has contributed to the development of feeding systems that are expensive, and not based on locally available and cheap feed resources. Rice distillers’ by-product (“hem”) is the waste derived from artisan production of alcohol from rice. The rice is cooked and yeast is added to the cooked rice for the fermentation. The alcohol is distilled from the fermented liquor, after which the waste “hem” is used as wet feed for pigs.

 

Rice distillers’ by product is produced in large amounts in some places in the Mekong delta, such as Chau Thanh, in Long My district. This by-product is cheap and available the whole year round. “Hem” is very palatable, and using it in diets for fattening pigs is a way for the farmer to get good economic returns.

 

A survey was conducted in Long My district to compare the situation of pig farmers that use, and those that do not use, “hem”. Samples of “hem” were collected for analysis of the nutrient composition, especially the amino acids.

  

Materials and methods 

Location

 

The survey was conducted on 40 selected families in 6 hamlets located in Long My district. These families were divided into 4 groups, each group consisting of 10 families:

Group A: Use “hem” to feed sows

Group B: Do not use “hem” to feed sows

Group C: Use “hem” to feed fattening pigs

Group D: Do not use “hem” to feed fattening pigs

 

Data collection methodology

 

Interviews

 

Discussions were held on farms producing “hem” and with pig producers, and focused on:

General information on “hem” production

“Hem” output capacity per day

“Hem” yield obtained

The use of “hem”, for example with other feeds and concentrates

Evaluation of the performance of pigs, with or without hem in their diets

Assessment of the opportunities and potential of “hem”in pig production. 

 

Sample collection

 

A total of 18 “hem” samples were collected. These samples were analyzed for dry matter (DM), crude protein (CP), crude fibre (CF), ether extract (EE), ash, calcium (Ca), phosphorus (P) according to AOAC (1994). Neutral detergent fibre (NDF) was determined according to Robertson and Van Soest (1981), but instead of boiling for one hour, samples were incubated in the oven at 90oC over night according to Chai and Udén (1998). Gross energy (GE) was determined by adiabatic bomb calorimeter. Amino acid contents of “hem” were done by Ajinomoto Company (Thailand). Forty feed samples from producers who used and did not use “hem” were taken to evaluate the diets fed.

 

Statistical analysis

 

The raw data were analysed using descriptive statistics to calculate means, range, standard deviation and coefficient of variation (CV)

 

Results and discussion 

Chemical composition

 

Most of the “hem” samples had very low DM content, with considerable variation because some samples (such as samples 4, 10 and 12) were diluted before collection (Tables 1 and 2).


Table 1.  pH, chemical composition and gross energy of “hem” (means, range and standard deviation and coefficient variation;    n=18)

 

Average

Minimum

Maximum

±SD

CV, %

pH

3.2

2.98

3.43

0.15

0.8

Dry matter, %

9.1

5.4

12.9

2.01

11.2

Dry matter basis, %

 

 

 

Crude protein

23.1

16.6

32.5

4.59

25.5

Ether extract

9.9

4.7

17.5

3.20

17.8

Ash

4.7

2.2

8.5

2.10

11.7

NDF

15.4

8.4

28.2

5.32

29.6

Calcium

0.55

0.31

0.87

0.14

0.8

Phosphorus

0.35

0.17

0.50

0.09

0.5

Gross energy, MJ/kg DM

20

18

21

0.93

5.2



Table 2.   Crude protein (%, in DM) and amino acid composition (g/16 g N) of “hem”  (n=18)

 

Average

Minimum

Maximum

±SD

CV, %

Crude protein

23.1

16.7

32.5

4.59

25.50

Aspartic acid

8.92

6.82

15.97

2.40

13.33

Threonine

4.89

2.68

7.81

1.71

9.50

Serine

4.77

3.41

8.06

1.15

6.39

Glutamic acid

17.8

12.9

32.5

4.82

26.8

Proline

4.81

2.39

10.02

1.90

10.6

Glycine

4.86

3.51

9.57

1.62

9.00

Alanine

7.16

5.39

14.54

2.31

12.8

Cysteine

2.42

1.77

4.60

0.77

4.28

Valine

6.03

2.73

12.36

2.42

13.44

Methionine

2.05

1.24

3.99

0.78

4.33

Isoleucine

4.42

3.14

9.19

1.68

9.33

Leucine

7.98

4.19

15.82

2.94

16.33

Phenylalanine

5.32

4.19

9.57

1.46

8.11

Lysine

3.91

1.84

8.14

1.52

8.44

Arginine

5.59

3.96

10.02

1.71

9.50


The CP and GE values were rather high, varying from 17 to 32% and from 18 to 21 MJ/kg DM, respectively. These values can be compared with the CP and GE contents of hull-less rice, 8% and 15 MJ/kg DM, respectively.  Fibre levels (8.4 to 24.2% NDF in DM) were found to be quite variable depending on the rice used in the fermentation. Ca and P contents in DM were found to be rather low, ranging from 0.31 to 0.87% and 0.17 to 0.5%, respectively. Most of the yeast used to produce the alcohol was produced locally at artisan level. This, and the fact that the composition of distillers’ feeds is influenced by the raw materials used, as well as processing procedure and the type of equipment used in distillation (Carpenter 1970), resulted in the chemical composition of  the “hem” being very variable. Average pH was 3.2, and at this value “hem” can be stored in a jar for up to 3 days. However, due to the low pH value, pig producers often add water before feeding. The quality of the protein in “hem” is quite good; comparing “hem” with the ideal protein (Table 3) indicates that it is especially rich in the sulphur amino acids, relative to lysine.    


Table 3.  Comparison of selected amino acids in “hem” with the ideal protein

 

This paper

Ideal protein#

Lysine

100

100

Meth+cysteine##

100

63

Threonine

125

72

Valine

154

75

Isoleucine

113

60

Leucine

204

111

# Wang and Fuller 1989
## Assumed that nutritive value of cysteine is the same as cystine. Cystine is composed of two molecules of cysteine, the respective molecular weights being 240 and 120 respectively 


Farms with sows that used or did not use “hem”

 

Farms that used “hem” in sow diets

 

“Hem” was substituted at levels ranging from 11 to 57% (DM basis)  in diets based on rice bran. The chemical composition of the sow diets varied, especially the dry matter content, which was rather low and ranged from 5 to 18%.  When “hem” was used, concentrate was rarely provided (Table 4).  Producers that used “hem “ had fewer sows (mean 1.7) compared to those who did not feed “hem” (mean 3.7) (Table 6).   


Table 4.  Ingredient composition (% DM basis; excluding vegetable* supply) and chemical composition of sow diets supplemented with “hem“

N=10

Average

Minimum

Maximum

SD

Hem**

33

11

57

 

Rice bran

56

28

83

 

Broken  rice

8

0

45

 

Concentrate***

4

0

17

 

DM, %

13

8

25

5

Chemical composition, % in DM

 

 

CP

15.1

13.4

18.3

1.6

EE

15.1

6.7

21.4

4.2

CF

6.0

2.9

10.5

2.4

NFE

56.6

49.2

72.9

7.5

Ash

7.2

3.9

11.3

2.2

Ca

0.9

0.5

1.1

0.1

P

0.9

0.8

1.3

0.2

* Vegetable: water spinach, Monochoria hastata, water hyacinth, banana pseudostem and sweet potato vines

** Hem: calculated based on 9% of dry matter.

*** Concentrate consists of: soybean, premix vitamins, minerals, and unidentified factors


Farms that did not use “hem” in sow diets

 

Rice bran is usually the main energy source used for pigs in the Mekong Delta. When “hem” was not included in sow diets, approximately 70% of the farmers supplied concentrate for their sows, with the result that average crude protein content was improved from 13.6% to 15% (Table 5).


Table 5.  Ingredient composition (% DM basis; excluding vegetable supply) and chemical composition of sow diets not supplemented with “hem“

N=10

Average

Minimum

Maximum

SD

Rice bran

59

28

85

 

Broken rice

29

0

50

 

Fish meal

3

0

15

 

Concentrate

9

0

30

 

DM, %

86

59

95

10

Chemical composition, %

 

 

 

CP

15.0

12.5

18.1

2.2

EE

11.5

7.3

15.0

2.1

CF

6.3

2.8

10.3

2.5

NFE

57.0

52.3

64.5

4.0

Ash

10.1

7.8

12.6

1.6

Ca

1.7

1.3

2.1

0.3

P

1.1

0.7

1.6

0.3


Number of piglets per litter and mean birth weights tended therefore to be somewhat higher on farms where “hem” was not fed (10.1 and 1.5 kg), compared to farms where the sows were given “hem” (9.7 and 1.2 kg), whereas age and live weight at weaning were similar (Table 6).


 Table 6.  Average performance of sows fed diets with and without “hem”

N=20

”Hem”

Average

Minimum

Maximum

Sows/farm

With

1.7

1.0

2.0

 

Without

3.7

1.0

7.0

Litters/sow

With

2.2

1.0

4.5

 

Without

3.3

1.0

4.5

Piglets/litter

With

9.7

8.0

11.0

 

Without

10.1

8.0

12.5

Birth weight, kg

With

1.2

1.1

1.4

 

Without

1.5

1.1

1.9

Weaning age, days

With

42.3

30.0

60.0

 

Without

40.0

30.0

50.0

Weaning weight, kg

With

13.9

7.5

19.5

 

Without

13.2

7.5

20.0


Vegetables such as water spinach, sweet potato vines, water hyacinth and banana pseudostems were always supplied for both feeding regimes.

 

Fattening pigs on farms that used “hem” and did not use “hem”

 

The amount of “hem” used varied, ranging from 4 to 39% of the diets (Table 7).


Table 7.  Ingredient composition (% Dm basis)  (excluding vegetable supply) and chemical composition of fattening  pig diets supplemented with “hem”

N=10

Average

Minimum

Maximum

SD

Hem

21

4

39

 

Rice bran

67

47

87

 

Broken rice

5

0

19

 

Concentrate

5

0

23

 

Dry matter content

11.8

6.2

18.3

3.91

Chemical composition, % in DM

 

 

 

    CP

13.9

9.8

16.3

1.8

    EE

14.1

9.5

16.5

2.0

    CF

8.4

5.3

12.0

2.0

    NFE

56.4

53.1

62.2

2.9

    Ash

7.1

5.5

8.8

1.2

    Ca

1.0

0.4

1.7

0.4

    P

0.8

0.6

1.1

0.2


The chemical composition of the diets supplemented with “hem” were also variable, with an average crude protein content of 13.9%, compared to 14.2 % on the farms that did not use “hem”. The lowest dietary CP value of 10% was found in the group “hem”. Concentrates were sometimes used by farmers that fed “hem”, but used by all producers not using “hem” (Table 8).


Table 8.  Ingredient composition (% DM basis, excluding vegetable supply) and chemical composition of fattening pig diets without “hem“

N=10

Average

Minimum

Maximum

SD

Rice bran

46.5

17.2

97.6

 

Broken rice

39.7

0.0

57.5

 

Maize

1.1

0.0

11.1

 

Fish meal

1.1

0.0

11.2

 

Concentrate

11.6

2.4

25.3

 

Dry matter

89.2

86.6

94.8

2.45

Composition, % in DM

 

 

 

CP

14.2

12.1

18.2

1.9

EE

13.0

11.7

17.2

1.7

CF

6.9

3.3

10.9

2.4

NFE

55.5

43.9

61.1

5.3

Ash

8.8

7.3

11.3

1.5

Ca

0.7

0.4

1.0

0.2

P

0.8

0.5

1.3

0.2


The initial weight and final weights were not different between the two groups (Table 9), although the time to slaughter was longer and mean daily live weight gain lower of the “hem” group, probably due to the fact that they fed much less concentrate compared with producers not using “hem”.


Table 9.  Average performance of fattening pigs fed diets with and without “hem”

N=20

 

Average

Minimum

Maximum

Pigs/farm

With

4.7

2

8

 

Without

12.9

2

35

Initial weight, kg

With

15.9

11

19

 

Without

14.1

7.5

16

Slaughter weight, kg

With

105

95

120

 

Without

103

65

125

Time to slaughter, months

With

6.2

5

8.5

 

Without

4.5

4

5

Daily live weight gain

With

475

 

 

 

Without

658

 


Economic analysis

 

It was impossible to make a reliable assessment of the relative economics of using the “hem” (rice distiller’s waste), as there were no reliable data on feed intakes. However, on the basis of discussions with the farmers it appeared to be much more economical to use “hem” rather than concentrates.
 


Conclusions

 

References 

AOAC 1984 Official Methods of Analysis. Association of Official Analytical Chemists. Washington DC
 

Carpenter L E  1970  Nutrient composition of distillers feeds. Proceedings of the 25th Distillers Feed Conference, p. 54
 

Chai W and Udén P 1998  An alternative oven method combined with different detergent strengths in analysis of neutral detergent fibre. Animal  Feed Science and Technology 74: 281-288.


Robertson J P and Van Soest P J  1981
 The detergent system of analysis and its application to human foods. In: James W P T and Theander O (Editors) The Analysis of Dietary Fibre in Foods. Marcel Dekker Inc. 123-158.

 

Wang T C and Fuller M F 1989 The optimum dietary amino acid pattern for growing pigs. British Journal of  Nutrition 62: 17-89



Received 10 July 2009; Accepted 6 September 2009; Published 3 December 2009

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