Effect of feeding urea treated crop residue based complete feed blocks on the growth of heifers

Wheat straw, paddy straw, mustard straw and sugarcane bagasse were treated with 4% urea prior to inclusion in complete feed blocks. Four types of complete feed blocks (CFB) were prepared that contained either wheat straw (WS) or 50% of the WS was replaced by paddy straw (WSPS), mustard straw (WSMS) and sugarcane bagasse (WSSB) as roughage source. In each block roughage, concentrate and molasses ratio was 51: 34: 15 and moisture level was maintained between 15 to 17%. Twenty-four heifers were divided in to four equal groups and were fed ad lib one of the experimental CFB for 90 days. DM digestibility was lower (P<0.05) in WSMS than in WS. The DCP and TDN content of CFB containing either WS, WSPS, WSMS or WSSB was 9.58 and 62.1%; 9.38 and 60.2%, 9.2 and 59.5% 9.6 and 58.4% respectively, but the different were nonsignificant. The feed consumed and daily live weight gain were also statistically comparable in all the groups. Cost per kg live weight gain in WS, WSPS, WSMS and WSSB was Rs. 29.56, 35.14, 33.78 and 35.75, respectively. It was concluded that the urea treated crop residues could successfully replace half of wheat straw in complete feed blocks in heifers.