In-sacco degradability of urea treated millet stalks

The study was taken up to assess the effect of urea level on the digestion kinetic parameters for DM and CP in millet stalks. Jowar (Sorghum vulgare) and Bajra (Pennisetum typhoidium) stalks were treated with 0% (T₁), 2% (T₂), 4% (T₃) and 6% urea (T₄) at 40% moisture level for 20 days. Three Nali rumen fistulated rams were fed either high roughage (HR) or low roughage (LR) diet. The DM and N disappearance was significantly (P<0.05) higher in the urea treated stalks as compared to untreated stalks. The effective degradability (ED) of dry matter for 4% urea treated stalks (T₃) at 48 h, was lowest (30.8%) in HR diet and highest (38.0%) in LR diet while effective degradability for nitrogen was higher in HR diet (45.0%) than in LR diet (40.2%) clearly indicating better utilization of 4%, urea treated stalks in low roughage diets.