Nutrient utilization from concentrate mixtures formulated with Salurea-90 (CM-1), deoiled salseed meal (DOSSM)+urea (CM-2), Urea + maize (CM-3), urea + molasses (CM-4), groundnut cake + DOSSM (CM-5) and groundnut cake (CM-6) were compared in 6 x 6 latin square design experiment using fistulated Ongole x Holstein x Friesian bullocks. The CP digestibility of CM-2 was lower (P<0.05) than CM-3, CM-4 or CM-6 while the CP digestibility of CM-1 and CM-5 was comparable and not significantly different (P > 0.05) from CM-3, CM-4 or CM-6. The NFE digestibilities of CM-1 and and CM-3 were significantly (P < 0.01) lower than CM-5 or CM-6. The N retention expressed as g/d or as percent of intake was higher (P < 0.05) for CM-1 than for CM-2 and almost similar to CM-3, CM-4 or CM-5. Significantly (P < 0.01) higher rumen NH3-N (RAN) concentrations were observed in bullocks fed CM-2, CM-3 or CM-4 compared to those fed CM-5 or CM-6 at lh post-feeding. At 2 h post-feeding RAN concentrations were higher (P < 0.01) in bullocks fed CM-3 or CM-4 than those fed CM-5 or CM-6 and the RAN values of CM-1 at 1 or 2 h post-feeding were not significantly different from CM-5 or CM-6.
It is concluded that Salurea-90 was superior to unprocessed urea + DOSSM and about equivalent to groundnut cake and can replace the same completely in concentrate mixtures for adult cattle.
