Nutrient Utilization in Crossbred Heifers Fed Sulphur Supplemented Rice Straw Based Diet

Sixteen crossbred heifers (5–8 months; 45–76 kg b.wt.), randomly divided into 4 groups, were allotted to 4 dietary treatments viz. T₁ (urea treated rice straw and concentrate mixture supplemented with sulphur through sodium sulphate), T₂ (same as T₁ but sulphur was supplemented through ammonium sulphate), T₃ (untreated rice straw and urea supplementation along with sodium sulphate) and T₄ (same as T₃ but sulphur was supplemented through ammonium sulphate). N: S ratio in the diets was maintained 10:1. The intake of DM, OM, CP and gross energy was significantly higher (P<0;05) in group T₂ than those in X₃ and T₄. Digestibility of DM, OM, CP, gross energy, cell wall constituents was similar among the groups. The intake of DDM, DOM, DCP and DE did not differ significantly among the groups. Nutrient utilization of paddy straw was similar irrespective of method of urea application and sources of sulphur supplementation in crossbred heifers.