Feeding of Healthy Versus Diseased Sorghum (Sorghum bicolor) Stover on Intake and Nutrient Utilization in Buffaloes (Bos hubalis)

Chemicar composition and nutrient digestibility of healthy (T₁) versus diseased sorghum straw (T₂) were compared using H-112 variety. Feeding of healthy sorghum stover ad lib with 300g groundnut cake in first digestion trial and feeding diseased straw (T₂) with 50Og groundnut cake in second trial was conducted on four adult male buffaloes using randomized block design. There was decrease in CP, NFE, and increase in CF, NDF, ADF, hemi-cellulose and cellulose content in diseased as compared to healthy sorghum stover. The nutrient digestibility values were lower (P<0.01) for DM, OM, CP, NFE, NDF, hemi-cellulose in diseased than healthy sorghum stover. The DCP and TDN value reported in diseased stover was also lower (1.03% and 45.33%) as compared to healthy sorghum stover (2.29% and 49.30%). It is concluded that diseased sorghum stover considerably reduced the nutritive value as compared to healthy stover.