Department of Animal Sciences, G.B. Pant University of Agriculture and Technology, Pantnagar263145, India
Online published on 5 January, 2012.
Two experiments were conducted to determine the amount of milk that can be supported by ammonia (urea) treated wheat and rice straws (ATS) fed ad lib with usual supplements of green berseem fodder (4-5 kg/head/d) and mineral mixture but without any concentrate in crossbred cows producing 8-12 kg of milk/d. In first experiment, green berseem and untreated (US) or treated rice straw (ATS) constituted 80:20 (US), 50:50 (US), 50:50 (ATS) or 10:90 (ATS) of the roughage fed ad lib. Concentrate mixture was fed @ 500g for every kg milk produced over and above first 6 kg. In the second experiment, treated wheat straw berseem mixture (90:10) fed ad lib was considered to support different levels of milk production and concentrate supplementation @ 400 g for every kg milk produced was done over and above these levels. It was observed that ammonia (urea) treated rice/wheat straw fed ad lib with usual supplements could support a milk production upto 6 kg without any concentrate. Feed cost at marked and at farm door prices were the lowest on urea treated straw diets. There was no adverse effect on milk composition.
