Department of Animal Production, Rajasthan College of Agriculture, Udaipur-313001, India
Online published on 29 December, 2011.
Nine crossbred heifers (12–28 m, 174–244 kg, Gir/Rathi x Red Dane) were used in 3x3 Latin Square design to study the effect of Incorporation of dried and ground water hyacinth at 0, 10 and 20% level in concentrate mixture of their ration in a experimental period of 90 d. Concentrate mixture was provided as per requirement while sorghum stover was fed ad lib. Voluntary feed intake, digestibility of nutrients, nitrogen balance and live weight of heifers remained unaffected Irrespective of water hyacinth levels in concentrate. It was concluded that dried and ground water hyacinth can he incorporated upto 20 per cent in concentrate mixture without any adverse effect on digestibility, feed intake and nitrogen balance 3n heifers receiving sorghum stover as basal roughage.
