Intake and Digestibility on Nutrients in Crossbred Calves Fed Water Washed and Untreated Neem (Azadirachta indica) Seed Kernel Cake

Eighteen crossbred male ualvesilyr. 163.1±4.4 Kg) were divided into three equal groups in a randomised block design (RBD) and fed three different concentrate mixtures having either 48% groundnut cake (control, group 1), 35% neein seed kernel cake (NSKC, group II) or 39% water washed NSKC (WWNSKC, group III). Sorghum stovers were fed ad libitum as sole roughage in all the groups. A 6d metabolism trial was conducted after 21d feeding. Inclusion of 35% NSKC of 39% WWNSKC had no adverse effect on intake of DM, OM and TON. and digestibilities of nutrients except that of CP, which was reduced (P<0.01) by feeding of NSKC resulting in reduced (P<0.01)DCP intake. Digestibility of CP was improved (P<0.01) after water washing of NSKC, with the result that DCP intake in the WWNSKC group was similar to that in the control group. Nitrogen balance was 21.55, 17.39 and 22.45 g/d in group I, II and III, respectively.