Nutrient intake and utilization in sheep fed urea supplemented diets containing mustard straw and other roughage

The study was conducted to utilize Mustard straw (MS) in conjunction with other roughage in various combinations in all roughage urea supplemented diets. Twenty four fine wool ewes divided into four groups, were fed on all roughage diets viz., 50:50 bajra (Penniselum typhoides), kadbi (BK) and MS (T1), 50:50 Cenchrus (Cenchrus ciliaris) straw (CS) and MS (T2), 50:50 Pala (Zizyphus nummularia) leaves (PL) and MS (T3) and 25 parts each of MS, BK, CS and PL (T4). In addition, 1% urea (w/w) was added to the all four roughage diets before feeding. A metabolic trial was conducted to assess the nutrient utilization. The DM intake and its digestibility did not differ significantly among the treatments, whereas the digestibility of CP, CF, NFE and total carbohydrates were significantly higher (P<0.01) in T1, T3 and T4 than T1. The EE digestibility was higher (P<0.05) in T4 than that in T1 and T2. The DCP intake (g/d) differed significantly (P<0.01) and it was 53.2 and 28.7% lower in T1 and T3, whereas 12.6 and 14.5% higher in T1 and T4, respectively than the prescribed requirements. TDN intake did not differ significantly and it was 43.5% lower in T2 and 15.6, 5.10 and 5.40% higher in case of T1, T3 and T4, respectively than the standard requirements. The nitrogen intake was significantly (P<0.05) higher in T1 and T4 than in T3, however the N retention (g/d) was higher (P<0.01) in T2 (5.00) followed by T4 (4.23), T3 (2.09) and T1 (1.73). Calcium and phosphorus retention was higher (P<0.01) in T4 than in other. Although the calcium retention was positive in all the treatment groups, the phosphorus retention was positive in T2 and T4. The ewes in all the groups lost their body weight marginally. It was concluded that nutrient utilization in urea supplemented diet containing MS and Cenchrus straw (50:50) was better than that containing MS and Pala (50:50), MS, BK, (CS and PL (25:25:25:25) and it was poor in MS and BK (50:50).