Indo-Swiss Project, Andhra Pradesh (ISPA), Visakhapatnam530 040, India
*Present address : C/0 Swiss Development Corporation, Neubrucstrasse 103, CH-3012 Bern, Switzerland
Online published on 5 January, 2012.
Twenty Ongole heifers (12- 18m, 233±47 kg) and sixteen Jersey-Ongole 50 % crossbred heifers (12-18m, 185±48 kg) were divided in four equal groups in a randomised block design and fed paddy straw treated with urea (TS) for 8d (T1), 5d (T2), 2d (T3) and untreated straw (US, T4) for 7 wks. Treatment of straw was done wiih 4.5 kg urea and 601 water per 100 kg in ciosed pits. Ongole heifers showe4 average daily live weight gains of 149, 163, 144 and -7g for T1, T2, T3 and T4 and CB heifers showed 169, 124, 117 and -22g in the respective treatment Difference between TS and US was highly significant, while differences betwen treatments T1, T2 and T3 were not significant The results indicated that under tropical conditions cereal straw treatment with urea for as short a period as 2d only as an alternative to treatment for longer periods is worth considering as it could be especially useful for farmers with limited resources.
