Department of Animal Nutrition, Haryana Agricultural University, Hisar-125 004 (India)
*Present address : Scientist S-2 (Animal Nutrition), ICAR Research Complex for NEH Region, Shillong-793 013 (Meghalaya).
Online published on 21 January, 2012.
A growth trial was conducted for 100 days on sixteen crossbred male cow calves, randomly divided into four groups, and allotted four dietary treatments (T1, T2, T3 and and T4) having untreated or ammoniated wheat straw and untreated or ammoniated paddy straw respectively with varying levels of concentrate mixture in their rations. The apparent digestibilities of OM, DM and hemicellulosc increased significantly (P<0.05) and those of CF, total carbohydrates, NDF, ADF, Lignin and Cellulose increased highly significantly (P< 0.01) in animals fed ammoniated straws. The N retention percentages were 43.52±0.81, 41.20±1.39, 27.44±0.43 and 37.49±1.13 in Tl T2, T3 and T4 groups respectively.
The average live weight gains (g/day) were 520.00±7.07, 577.50±16.52, 442.50±11.09 and 532.50±8.54, and corresponding costs of per kg live weight gain were Rs. 11.08,6.86, 13.24 and 8.64 in T1 T2, T3 and T4 groups respectively. Thus urea-ammoniated straws formed an economical ration for growing calves.
