Voluntary Intake and Digestibility of Nutrients in Heifers Fed Hydroponics Maize (Zea mays L.) Fodder

Voluntary intake and digestibility of nutrients in heifers fed hydroponics maize (Zea maize L.) fodder was studied. Hydroponics maize fodder (HMF) was produced in a hydroponics chamber (greenhouse) measuring about 25 ft × 10 ft × 10 ft with a daily production potential of 600 kg fresh HMF and equipped with automatic sprayer irrigation by tap water. Four heifers (avg. BW 305 kg) were fed individually 2 kg standard conventional concentrate mixture along with 3 kg jowar straw and ad lib. HMF daily to meet their nutrient requirements for a period of 45 days followed by a 6-d digestion trial. The HMF looked like a mat of 20–30 cm height consisting of germinated seeds, white roots and green leaves. The increase in weight of the HMF than the seed weight on fresh basis was 5–6 folds. The DM content of the HMF was 15.4% and the CP, EE, CF, NFE and TA content was 13.56, 2.46, 8.98, 73.45 and 1.56% on DM basis, respectively. The DM intake per 100 kg BW of the heifers was 2.25 and the R: C ratio was maintained at 73: 27. The digestibility of DM, OM, CP, EE, CF and NFE of the ration was 65.62, 68.06, 69.36, 80.95, 59.70 and 69.87%, respectively. The total ration had 12.73% CP, 8.81% DCP and 68.71% TDN. It can be concluded that hydroponics maize fodder could be fed to heifers in situations where conventional fodder is not available or can not be grown due to any adverse conditions.