Nutritive Evaluation of Chionachne koenigii Grass in Crossbred Calves

Four crossbred (Sahiwal x Jersey) Calves (Age 9 month, b.wt. 74.87±3.88 kg) were fed on green Chionachne koenigii grass ad lib for a preliminary period of 15 days, thereafter a digestibility trial of 7 days duration was conducted. The dry matter intake as kg/d and % body weight was 2.14±0.04 and 2.67 kg respectively. The digestibility coefficients of DM, CP, EE, CF and NFE were 62.80, 55.99, 35.19, 66.16 & 72.99 respectively. The nutritive value of green Chionachne koenigii grass was 4.1±0.02% DCP and 60.79±0.36% TDN with 2.67 kg DMI/100 kg body weight. It is concluded that the green Chionachne koenigii grass can meet the maintenance requirement of crossbred calves.