Department of Animal Feed Technology, Chaudhary Charan Singh Haryana Agricultural University, Hisar - 125 004, India
Online published on 5 January, 2012.
Crop residues namely, wheat straw, gram straw and pearl millet stovers were treated with 2, 4, 6, 8 and 10 % NaOH, Ca(OH)) H2SO4and HCJ to study their effect on the post compression expansion & durability of the residues. Prior to compaction 15% molasses was mixed as a binder. It was found that alkali treated straw blocks were significantly (P<0.05) more durable as ascompared to acid treated straw blocks and among alkalies, NaOH was more effective than Ca(OH)2 Levels of chemicals affected the durability without affecting post compression expansion. At 4% level for all the chemicals the durability was significantly (P<0.05) higher as compared to 2% level. Post compression expansion was significantly (P<0.05) low in gram straw blocks than those of wheat straw and pearl millet stover blocks, whereas, durability of gram straw blocks was maximum followed by wheat, straw and lowest for pearl millet stover blocks.
