Twenty female growing buffalo calves of about same age (11-12 months) were randomly divided into 4 groups of 5 animals in each. The animals were fed 4 different rations viz. (T1) wheat struw+concentrate containing mustard cake; (T2) wheat straw+concentrate where mustard cake was replaced by uromalt; (T3) rice straw+concentrate containing mustard cake and (T4) rice straw+concentrate where uromalt replaced mustard cake. The above rations were fed fur a period of 90 days, during which daily DM intake and growth rate were not significantly affected in the groups fed rice straw as roughage. However, there was significantly (P<0.05) higher weight gain in animals fed uromalt than those fed mustard cake. The digestibility coefficients of DM, CP, CF and NFE were not significantly different between wheat straw and rice straw fed groups but nutrient digestibility improved significantly (P<0.05) on incorporating uromalt instead of mustard cake In the concentrate mixtures. The NDF and ADF digestibility, however, were significantly (P<0.05) higher in groups where wheat straw was fed as roughage than in groups where rice straw was fed and when uromalt was fed instead of mustard cake. Serum NH-N and serum urea-N were significantly (P<0.05) higher in calves fed uromalt containing concentrate as compared to mustard cake containing concentrate.
