Abstract
Our previous studies proved the low-cost production of protein-rich forage rice with continuous irrigation of treated municipal wastewater (TMWW). Since protein is one of the most important nutrients for animals, the rice cultivated using TMWW potentially have high value as animal fodder. In this study, we conducted two types of examination to evaluate the availability of rice cultivated using TMWW as animal fodder. The first examination to test the feeding preference of beef cattle revealed the rice cultivated using TMWW was consumed by cattle as preferably as the rice harvested in normal paddy fields. In the second examination, the rice cultivated using TMWW was fed to chickens for egg production. Rice-fed-chickens produced eggs similarly to those fed by corn as control. Only the total production of eggs from rice-fed-chickens was slightly smaller probably because the rice was not milled before feeding while the corn was done. Except for this, we did not find any disadvantages in using the rice cultivated with TMWW irrigation as animal fodder instead of corn.
