1Department of Animal Nutrition, College of Veterinary Science, Rajendranagar, Hyderabad-500030
Department of Animal Nutrition, College of Veterinary Science, Rajendranagar, Hyderabad-500030, Andhra Pradesh (India)
2Livestock Research Institute, College of Veterinary Science, Rajendranagar, Hyderabad-500030
In an experiment, 12 ram lambs (6–8 months; 20.34±2.369 kg body weight) were offered maize stover based total mixed ration (roughage: concentrate 50:50) either with or without exogenous fibrolytic enzymes (EFE; 12800 cellulase and 12800 xylanase IU/g DM stover). The lambs were fed with respective diets for a preliminary period of 21 days followed by 7 days collection period. Supplementation of EFE had no significant effect on DM, OM, CP, EE and NFE digestibilities except for higher (P<0.05) CF digestibility. The fibre fraction digestibilities were comparable between the groups. Though insignificant, a 4% increase in DCP and TDN was observed upon EFE supplementation. The present study indicated an improvement in nutrient digestibility and nutritive value of TMR containing 50% maize stover with EFE supplementation, except CF digestibility. This indicated that either higher enzyme concentration was required or change in mode of enzyme application, requiring further investigations.
Exogenous fibrolytic enzymes, nutrient utilization, maize stover, sheep
