Effect of Soybean Straw and Seaweed (Sargassumjohnstonii) Based Total Mixed Ration on Feed Intake, Digestibility and Rumen Fermentation in Crossbred Cows

An experiment was conducted to evaluate the effect of soybean straw and seaweed supplementation on feed intake, nutrient digestibility and rumen fermentation in lactating crossbred cows. Six Holstein Friesian x Kankrej (50:50) crossbred cows were used in an experiment based on switch over design for 135 days with three periods each of 45 days duration. The animals received three treatments as total mixed ration viz. T₁: TMR with compound concentrate mixture (60%) and wheat straw (40%); T₂: TMR with compound concentrate mixture (60%), wheat straw (20%) and soybean straw (20%); T₃: TMR with 8% seaweed (Sargassum johnstonii). Dry matter (DM) and digestible crude protein intake were at par in T₁ and T₂, but significantly (P<0.05) lower in T₃while total digestible nutrients intake differed significantly (P<0.05) among all groups. There was no significant difference in nutrient digestibility except lower (P<0.05) DM digestibility in group T₃. Rumen fermentation parameters were also similar among the treatment groups except that total volatile fatty acids (TVFA) concentration was significantly lower (P<0.05) in group T₃. Microbial protein synthesis was also similar in all the groups. The study revealed low feed intake, TVFA and dry matter digestibility in seaweed supplemented group.