Nutrient Intake and Utilization in Lambs Fed Azolla microphylla Meal as a Partial Replacement for Mustard Cake in Concentrate Mixture

Eighteen Jalauni lambs (n=18, average BW 22.43 kg) of similar sex and age were divided in to three groups of 6 animals each to study the effect of azolla meal as a replacer for mustard cake protein on nutrient intake and utilization. In control group (T₁), the animals were fed ad lib. green chaff of MP chari (a variety of Sorghum bicolor) with concentrate mixture as per requirement (ICAR, 1998) whereas in groups T₂ and T₃ the CP of mustard cake was replaced @ 25% and 50% with azolla meal protein in the concentrate mixtures C1 and C2 respectively. Average DMI was 3.90, 3.77 and 3.49% of the live BW in groups T₁, T₂ and T ₃, respectively. Digestibility of DM and OM was comparable in T₁ (61.43 and 64.98%) and T₂ (59.91 and 62.97%), however, it was higher (P<0.05) than in group T₃ (51.57 and 56.51%). The CP digestibility reduced (P<0.05) with the gradual inclusion of azolla meal in groups T₂ and T ₃. Although N intake was similar in three experimental groups, the excretion of N through faeces was higher (P<0.05) in group T₃. N retention as % of N intake was comparable in groups T₁ and T₂ but was higher than that in group T₃. It could be concluded that azolla meal could replace mustard oil cake up to 25% on nitrogen equivalent basis without affecting nutrient utilization in Jalauni lambs.