Department of Animal Nutrition, College of Veterinary Science, Andhra Pradesh Agricultural University, Tirupati517502, India
*Present address : Faculty of Veterinary Science, A.P. Agricultural University, Rajendranagar, Hyderabad 500030.
Online published on 5 January, 2012.
Ammoniation through urea treatment was attempted to improve the quality of bajra (Pennisetum typhoideum) stalks. The material was treated with 3, 4, 5 and 6 per cent urea and incubated for 10, 20 and 30 d at moisture levels of 30, 40 and 50 per cent. Level of urea did not influence the proximate components except CP and cell-wall constituents of bajra stalks. Increasing the moisture level from 40 to SO per cent, decreased the CP content at all levels of urea treatment. The highest CP (11.9 per cent) was observed for the bajra stalks treated with 5 per cent urea at 30 per cent moisture for 10 d. The IVDMD increased from 19.6 to 29.2 per cent and enzymatic solubility from 21.0 to 29.0 per cent with 4 per cent urea treatment of straw moistened to 30 per cent and incubated for 20 d. Urea treatment increased (P < 0.01) the DM disappearance of bajra stalks upto 4 per cent level with the highest soluble DM fraction. Urea treatment at 4 per cent level increased the effective degradable dry matter (EDDM) of bajra stalks from 18.41 to 28.08 per cent. Urea level of 4 per cent appeared to be effective in improving the nutritional quality of bajra stalks when incubated for 20 d at 30 per cent moisture level.
