Effect of Different Levels of Urea and Hydrogen Peroxide Treatment on Nutritive Value of Mustard Straw

Chaffed mustard straw (2 cm) was treated with 0, 2 and 4% urea and/or 0, 0.75 and 1.5% hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) into triplicate following a 3×3×3×2 factorial design (3 urea levels × 3 H₂O₂ levels × 3 replications × 2 periods) and sealed into polythene bags. Three bags from each combination (3 levels urea × 3 levels H ₂O₂ × 3 replications = 27 bags) were opened on zero day and the remaining bags (27) were opened after an incubation for 21 days at room temperature for the estimation of proximate composition, cell wall constituents and in vitro nutrients digestibility. Treatment of mustard straw either with urea and/or with H₂O₂ improved its nutritional value, but the magnitude of improvement was highest at 4% urea plus 1.5% H₂O₂.