Indian Journal of Animal Nutrition

The present experiment was conducted to study the effect of replacing groundnut cake (GNC) with guar (Cyamopsis tetragonoloba) meal at different levels in the concentrate on growth and nutrient utilization in crossbred calves. Study was carried out in two phases. In phase I, five total mixed rations (TMR) containing guar meal replacing groundnut cake at 0, 25, 50, 75 and 100% in concentrate were incubated for 48 hr to conduct an in vitro study. DM and OM degradability decreased at all treatment levels but depression (P<0.05) was observed in TMR's containing 50% or more replacement of GNC with guar meal. Microbial biomass production, NH₃-N and TCA ppt-N concentration decreased (P<0.05) in all the TMR's in which guar meal replaced with GNC. Total gas production was lowest (P<0.05) at 100% replacement of GNC with guar meal while methane production was lower (P<0.05) in 75% and 100% replacement of GNC with guar meal. TVFA concentration improved (P<0.05) only in TMR containing 25% and 50% guar meal in place of GNC. In view of above observations, 50% and 75% replacement levels were selected for in vivo study. In Phase-II, twenty male calves of 6–12 months of age (average BW, 96.24, 95.66, 97.04, 97.38 kg) were randomly divided in four groups of five animals each. All the animals were offered a diet consisting of concentrate mixture, green maize and wheat straw in the ratio of 40: 40: 20 on DM basis (T0), 50% replacement of groundnut cake with guar meal (T₁ group), 75% replacement of groundnut cake with guar meal (T₂ group) and in T₃ group 75% replacement of groundnut cake with guar meal + Sweetener (@ 0.025%) + Flavour (@0.025%) in the concentrate. Average daily gain (ADG) was similar in all groups. There was no difference between four groups in mean DM intake, CP intake, TDN intake. There was no effect on the digestibility of nutrients. Nitrogen balance was significantly (P<0.05) lower by 34.62% in T₂ than that of control while in T₁ and T₃ nitrogen balance was similar to that of control. Feed conversion ratio (FCR) was also similar. The results of the present study indicated that replacing groundnut cake with guar meal at 50% increased the live weight gain and improved the feed conversion ratio, (FCR) while at 75% replacement, there was decrease in live weight gain, average daily gain FCR. However, these negative effects were overcome by added sweetener and flavor in the ration.