Rumen and Blood Profiles and Growth Economics of Sheep Fed Complete Diets Based on Treated Bagasse

Growing sheep, In a 7 x 7 x 4 balanced incomplete block design were fed seven isonitrogenous (14.5±0.5% CP) complete diets as per Kaur and Kaushal (2001, in current issue). The results revealed that the rumen pH was lower in D-3 and D-4 (5.7) and higher in D-l (7.0). Total VFA concentration (meq/100 ml SRL) ranged between 7.56 (D-l) and 10.72 (D-4). In D-3 to D-6, it was above 10 meq/100 ml SRL. The TCA-ppt-N (mg/100 ml SRL) was lower in D-l (35.2), while above 60 mg/100 ml SRL in D-4 to D-6. In all the cases the blood and plasma indices were within the physiological limits. Variations between treatments for Hb, PCV and glucose were insignificant, but significant (P<0.05) with plasma protein, albumin, globulin, urea and creatinine. During 40d growth study there was a daily gain (g) of 24, 46, 63, 102, 78, 66 and 48 with diets D-l to D-7, respectively. Corresponding* feed conversion ratio among D-1 to D-7 was 23.9, 14.4, 10.7, 6.8, 8.31, 10.6 and 13.4, respectively, indicating improvement in nutritive value and cost of production (Rs/kg wt. gain).