In vitro digestibility of straw of different cultivars of paddy

Straw quality in terms of chemical composition and in vitro dry matter and organic matter digestibility (IVDMD, IVOMD) was evaluated for 24 cultivars of paddy. There was significant (P < 0.01) difference among the cultivars in proximate principles (except EE), fibre fractions and r/DMD/IVOMD. The overall mean values for OM, CP, EE, CF, NFE, TA and AIA were 85.2 ± 0.27, 4.7 ± 0.13, 1.2 ± 0.02, 29.5 ± 0.31, 49.8 ± 0.37, 14.8 ± 0.27 and 10.9± 0.19 per cent, respectively. Evaluation for cell wall constituents showed that NDF, ADF, hemicellulose, cellulose, varied between 64.3 to 85.1, 40.4 to 53.5 22.0 to 32.6, 38.9 to 40.4 and 4.1 to 5.9%, respectively with the mean values of 72.6 ± 0.76, 46.3 ± 0.50, 26.3 ± 0.40, 33.7 ± 0.45 and 5.2 ± 0.06 per cent respectively. The mean IVDMD and IVOMD values were found to be 45.9 ± 0.63 and 47.6 ± 0.68 per cent, respectively. The highest DM and OM digestibility value was recorded for Pyzum red and the lowest for NDR-359 cultivars. IVDMD and IVOMD were found to have significant (P < 0.01) negative correlation with total ash (−0.495 and -0.489), AIA (−0.713 and -0.698) and lignin (−0.386 and -0.379) content. Regression equations were also drawn for the prediction of IVDMD and IVOMD based on correlation. The cultivars like Pyzum red and white have great potential as livestrock feed.