Animal Nutrition Division, Indian Veterinary Research Institute, Izatnagar-243122, India
Online published on 20 January, 2012.
Sun-dried hay prepared from duckweed (Lemna sp.) and Hydrilla (Hydrilla verticil-lata) contained 25.21 and 25.32% CP, 1.33 and 1.46% EE, 13.52 and 16.37% CF, 41.95 and 34.32% NFE and 17.99 and 22.53% ash on DM basis, respectively. In a feeding experiment about half of the concentrate was replaced by duckweed and hydrilla hays in sheep ration. No significant effect was observed in DM, DCP and TDN intake when a little molasses was added to these rations. The DM and OM digestibility was signficantly (P < 0.05) lower in hydrilla fed group than in lemna and concentrate fed groups. N balance was positive in all animals of different groups. The DCP values of Lemna and Hydrilla hays calculated by difference were 14.0 and 14.21%, whereas the TDN contents were 33.18 and 31.60% respectively on DM basis.
