Effect of Feeding Unconventional Cakes and Poultry Manure Mixture on Voluntary Intake of Feed and Nutrient Utilization in Growing Cross-Bred Calves

Unconventional feed ingredients mixture (UFIM) was prepared using Kosum cake (Schleichera oleosa), Karanj cake (Pongamia glabra) Niger cake (Guizotia abyssinica) Salseed meal (Shorea robusta) and dried poultry manure. It was incorporated to replace standard concentrate mixture at 0 (T₁) 15 (T₂) and 30 (T₃) % level and was fed to three groups having 6 crossbred calves of about 9–14 m age. After 100 d of feeding, a metabolic trial was conducted. DM intake/100 kg body weight were found to be 3.78,3.80 and 3.78 and DM digestibilities 50.20,49.40 and 51.00%, respectively for T₁, T₂ and T₃ The differences among the groups for DM intake and digestibilities of DM, OM, EE, CF, NFE and total carbohydrates were non significant. CP digestibility was significantly (P<0.05) lower in T₂. Non signiflcant differences were observed for N intake and balances which were positive in all the groups. The DCP TDN SE DE and ME values were estimated to be 5.78 5.50 and 6.68; 50.60 48.50 and 49.90 44.00 42.20 and 43.50% and 2228 2135 and 2196 1783 1707 and 1757 kcal/kg respectively for groups T₁, T₂ and T₃. It is concluded that UFIM could replace standard concentrate mixture in ruminant ration upto 30%.