Investigating the Effect of Different Fermentation Methods of Wheat Bran and Rice Bran on Performance and Nutrient Digestibility of Broiler Chickens

Document Type : Research Articles

Authors

Fatemeh Imaninejhad ¹

Somayyeh Salari ¹

Hossein Motamedi ²

¹ Department of Animal Science, Animal Science and Food Technology Faculty, Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources University of Khuzestan, Mollasani, Iran

² Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, and Biorefinery Research Center, Shahid Chamran University of Ahvaz, Ahvaz, Iran

10.22067/ijasr.2025.93922.1249

Abstract

Introduction: Wheat bran contains crude fiber, protein, fat, carbohydrates, and minerals (Souci and Kirchhoff, 2000). The direct inclusion of wheat bran in monogastric diets is limited due to its high fiber content and anti-nutritional factors such as phytic acid and hemicelluloses (e.g., xylan) (Zhang et al., 2022). Similarly, the high fiber content and low digestibility of rice bran have restricted its inclusion in poultry diets (Kras et al., 2013). Microbial fermentation leads to an increase in lactic acid bacteria, a decrease in pH, and an increase in the organic acid concentration (Canibe and Jensen, 2012). Additionally, these brans contain anti-nutritional factors such as beta-glucans, trypsin inhibitors, and anti-thiamine factors, which, when consumed by poultry, reduce nutrient availability and consequently decrease production performance (Haryati et al., 2015). These anti-nutritional compounds increase digesta viscosity, interfere with the digestion and absorption of nutrients, and inhibit digestive enzymes such as trypsin, leading to reduced growth, immunity, and reproductive performance in poultry. Trypsin inhibitors particularly reduce protein digestion, while beta-glucans increase the viscosity of intestinal contents, impairing nutrient absorption. Therefore, the presence of these anti-nutritional factors in bran can negatively affect poultry production performance. It was hypothesized that subjecting wheat bran and rice bran to different fermentation methods would improve performance, nutrient digestibility, and gastrointestinal tract characteristics of broiler chickens. Therefore, the main objective of this research was to compare the effects of different fermentation methods of wheat bran and rice bran on the performance, nutrient digestibility, and gastrointestinal tract of broiler chickens.

Materials and Methods: This experiment aimed to investigate the effects of different fermentation methods (Bacillus subtilis, Aspergillus niger, and rumen fluid) on wheat and rice brans and their subsequent impact on performance and nutrient digestibility of broiler chickens. Fermentation with B. subtilis and A. niger was conducted for 6 days at room temperature, while fermentation with rumen fluid was carried out for 6 hours under anaerobic conditions. A completely randomized design with a 4×2 factorial arrangement was used, consisting of 8 treatments (unfermented and fermented rice and wheat bran by the three methods), 5 replicates, and 10 birds per replicate for 42 days. Feed intake (FI), body weight gain (BWG), feed conversion ratio (FCR), and weights of carcass components and different segments of the gastrointestinal tract (GIT) were measured on day 42. To determine apparent ileal nutrient digestibility, the birds were fed a diet containing 3 g/kg chromium oxide (Cr2O3) as an indigestible marker from days 21 to 26. On day 26, the ileal digesta from 2 birds per replicate were collected and stored at -20°C for subsequent chemical analysis. Subsequently, the dry matter (DM), crude fat, and crude protein (CP) of the feed sample and ileal were measured (AOAC, 2000). The digestibility of dry matter, crude fat, and crude protein was calculated (Hafeez et al., 2016). Data were analyzed using SAS software and the GLM procedure. Duncan’s multiple range test at 5% significance was used for mean comparisons.

Results and Discussion: Fermentation of brans significantly increased feed intake (FI) and body weight gain (BWG) in broilers compared to those fed raw bran. Specifically, Wheat bran fermented with Aspergillus Niger showed the most pronounced improvement in feed conversion ratio (FCR). Dietary inclusion of fermented brans increased apparent ileal crude protein digestibility compared to that of the unfermented treatments. Fermentation with rumen fluid or Bacillus subtilis also exerted positive effects although A. niger proved to be more effective. Furthermore, fermentation with Aspergillus Niger or rumen fluid improved fat digestibility. Broilers fed diets containing bran fermented with fungus had the highest relative weights of carcass, breast, thigh, and digestive tract. Fermentation can increase villus height and thus broiler weight by reducing anti-nutritional factors (Jazi et al., 2017). Our findings regarding protein digestibility align with those of Widodo et al. (2013), who reported that the dietary inclusion of fermented bran could improve crude protein digestibility. This enhancement is likely due to microbial enzymatic activity, which improves feed quality and liberates bound protein fractions. Fermented feeds have been shown to promote growth in broilers by increasing intestinal length indices, maintaining a normal gut microbial ecosystem, and improving gut morphology such as villus height. In addition, bran fermentation typically increases crude protein content and reduces fiber content (Sugiharto & Ranjitkar, 2019). Previous studies have shown that fermented feed contains proteases, amylases, and lipases. These proteases break down proteins to produce short peptides (Sun et al., 2022), thereby increasing the digestion and absorption by the host. Additionally, supplementing fermented feed can significantly improve nutrient metabolism and enhance digestion due to the microorganisms involved in fermentation (Gungor et al., 2021).

Conclusion: According to the results, fermentation of wheat bran and rice bran, especially with Aspergillus niger, is an effective method for improving their nutritional value and enhancing broiler performance and can be used as a practical strategy in the poultry industry for optimal use of agricultural by-products.

Keywords

Body Weight

Breast

Feed Intake

Microbial Fermentation

Villus Height

Subjects

• Poultry Nutrition

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Authors retain the copyright. This is an open access article distributed under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0)

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