Urea-lime treatment boosts rice straw nutrition for healthier livestock diets.
The researchers wanted to see if treating rice straw with urea and lime could make it better for animals to eat. They tested different levels of urea and lime on the straw and found that higher urea levels increased protein and organic matter, while more lime decreased fiber. Treating the straw with urea and lime also made it easier for animals to digest in their stomachs. Straw treated for 20 days was better than straw treated for 10 days. Overall, using 3% urea and 2% lime together improved the quality and digestibility of rice straw for animals.