Steam Treatment of Hybrid Sorghum Kadbi (Sorghum Vulgare) for Feeding Cattle

Hybrid sorghum Kadbi (Sorghum vulgare) treated with steam at 7 kg/cm² pressure for 30 minutes was compared for its digestibility and palatability with conventional sorghum Kadbi (M35-1) and untreated hybrid sorghum Kadbi. Fifteen cross-bred bulls (HF x Gir) of 236 kg average body weight were divided into three equal groups and fed on conventional sorghum Kadbi (T₁) steam treated hybrid Kadbi (X₂) and untreated hybrid Kadbi (T3). With steam treatment, palatability of hybrid Kadbi improved significantly (P< 0.01) compared to untreated Kadbi. The OM, CF and Cell wall digestibility was significantly (P< 0.01) higher in untreated hybrid Kadbi compared to steam treated Kadbi. The digestibility of NFE was significantly (P<0.01) higher in conventional sorghum variety compared to hybrid variety. Nretentionwas highest in animals fed conventional sorghum Kadbi (+37.8 g/d) followed by animals feed stream treated hybrid Kadbi (+20.6 g/d) and untreated hybrid Kadbi, (+7.22 g/d). The differences in N retention were statistically significant (P<0.01). In another experiment, ten Jersey bull calves were divided into two equal groups. Group 1 was fed steam treated hybrid sorghum Kadbi based ration while Group 2 received untreated hybrid Kadbi based ration. The 187 days of feeding trial indicated higher DM intake in steam treated group (5.22 kg/d) than control group (4.73 kg/d). Average daily weight gains were comparable in both the groups.