In-sacco degradability of groundnut cake under different feeding regimes in buffaloes

Rumen fistulated male Murrah buffaloes (4; 1.5 to 2 yr old of 304±7.7 kg BW) were randomly distributed in 4 groups in a 4x4 latin square design. The study was conducted in two parts, each with a control and three treatments to evaluate the effect of seven different feeding regimes viz. 2.5 kg wheat straw, 10 kg green and 3 kg concentrate mixture (T₁); 10 kg oat silage, 2 kg berseem hay and 10 kg green (T₂); 12 kg ammoniated wheat straw and 2 kg berseem hay (T₃); 10 kg oat silage, 2 kg berseem hay and 2.25 kg barley grain (T₄); 8 kg ammoniated wheat straw, 2 kg berseem hay and 2.25 kg barley grain (T₅); 5 kg oat silage, 2 kg berseem hay and 3.5 kg barley grain (T₆); 5 kg ammoniated wheat straw, 2 kg berseem hay and 3.5 kg barley grain (T₇). The DM and CP degradability of groundnut cake was 57.63 and 65.02%, 52.75 and 58.87% 54.40 and 59.81%; 59.12 and 66.45%; 60.07 and 66.88%; 60.34 and 68.18%; 61.62 and 69.96% respectively in T₁, T₂, T₃, T₄, T₅, T₆ and T₇ diet. The DM and CP degradability was higher where the urea or barley was added in the diet. The DM and CP degradability of groundnut cake at 3, 6, 12 and 20 of incubation were 30.53 and 36.52; 51.36 and 57.38; 71.15 and 79.54; 78.96 and 86.65 per cent respectively. The degradability increased with increasing incubation period.