Plant Animal Relationship Division, Indian Grassland and Fodder Research Institute, Jhansi284003, India.
Online published on 5 January, 2012.
Two varieties of napier (Panicum purpureum) grass (IGFRI-3 and NB-21) were harvested at full flowering stage, each mixed with Sesbania sesban leaves with soft twigs (1:1) and fed to six cross-bred (Holstcin Friesian x Haryana; 142-160 kg) calves to evaluate their comparative nutritive value. The two mixed fodders supplied 7.48, 7.60 per cent DCP and 60.30, 55.00 per cent TDN, respectively. While the digestibility coefficients of DM, OM and NDF were significantly (P < 0.05) higher in combined fodder with IGFRI-3, the intake of DCP and DE was more in mixed fodder of NB-21+ Sesbania sesban.
