Effect of Supplementation of Rumensin and Level of Roughage on Methane Production

Twelve Murrah male buffalo calves were divided into three groups of four each in a Randomized Block Design. Concentrate mixture (19.7% CP and 75% TDN) and wheat straw was fed to group I and II in 70:30 while group III was fed 60:40 on DM basis. Additionally all animals were supplemented with 2 kg green berseem. Group II and HI was supplemented with 50 mg rumensin/animal/day. DMI was 3.95±0.09, 3.63±0.19, 3.91±0.51 kg and digestible DMI was 2.48±0.08, 2.11±0.22 and 2.14±0.30 kg in groups I, II and III respectively which did not differ significantly. Methane production was as per cent of DE intake was decreased by 3.03% and 2.75% per day in group II and III compared to group I (4.3%).