Indian Journal of Animal Nutrition

A metabolic trial was conducted on five adult Yak fed on mixed pasture grass available from local Tomhill grazing ground by cut and carry method. The dominant plant species in the grazing ground were Potentilla fulgen (40.0%), Bromus trypogen (17.77%), Fimbristylis diphyla (18.86%), Fragaria vesca (13.13%) and Primula denticulata (11.60%). The chemical composition (% DM) of the mixed pasture grass was OM (81.25), CP (8.46), EE (2.90), NFE (49.34), CF (20.87) and total ash (18.75). The DM intake as kg/d and % body weight was 4.46±0.04 and 2.79±0.17 respectively. The digestibility (%) of nutrients were 69.84±0.50, 72.84±0.89, 50.62±4.67, 83.55±6.73, 72.14±7,08 and 76.32±4.98 for DM, OM, CP, EE, CF and NFE respectively. The average nitrogen balance (g/day) was 7.22±1.08. The nutritive value of the pasture as digestible crude protein (DCP) and total digestible nutrients (TDN) were 4.27 and 62.44 per cent respectively. Therefore the above pasture grass can ensure maintenance requirement of Yak.