Effect of feeding ammonia (urea) treated baled wheat straw with different levels of concentrate on nutrients utilization and growth of crossbred heifers

Pathak, Richa, Govind Ballabh Pant University of Agrcuture and Technology, Pantnagar ;Jaiswal, R. S.; Pandey, Himanshu, Animal Nutriton, Govind Ballabh Pant University of Agriculture and Technology, Pantnagar ;Thakur, T. C.;Joshi, Y. P.

Effect of feeding ammonia (urea) treated baled wheat straw with different levels of concentrate on nutrients utilization and growth of crossbred heifers

2005

Pathak, Richa, Govind Ballabh Pant University of Agrcuture and Technology, Pantnagar (India);Jaiswal, R. S. | Pandey, Himanshu, Animal Nutriton, Govind Ballabh Pant University of Agriculture and Technology, Pantnagar (India));Thakur, T. C.(Farm Machinery and Power Engineering, Govind Ballabh Pant University of Agriculture and Technology, Pantnagar (India));Joshi, Y. P.(Agronomy, Govind Ballabh Pant University of Agriculture and Technology, Pantnagar (India))

Crossbred heifers (16), 8-15 months old and 57-148 kg body weight, were divided into 4 comparable groups on the basis of weight and age. Treatments were untreated baled straw ad lib. and concentrate mixture to fulfil 100 CP and energy requirements (T1), ammonia (urea) treated baled wheat straw ad lib. and concentrate mixture to provide 100 CP and energy (T2), 75 CP and energy (T3), and 125 CP and energy requirements (T4).The highest (3.72 kg/100 kg body weight) and lowest (2.88 kg/100 kg body weight) DMI were recorded in urea treated baled wheat straw diet and concentrate mixture in T4 and T3, respectively. Digestible dry matter intake values were 67.93, 66.80, 53.74 and 75.93 g/kgw°·75 for T1, T2, T3 and T4 respectively. The straw DMI was 52.93, 68.83, 66.01 and 77.90 g/kg w°.75 for T1, T2, T3 and T4, respectively. There was no significant difference among treatments on total DMI, roughage DMI, CPI, DCP and digestible energy intake as percent body weight. Total energy intake (KCal/kgwo.75) in T1, was significantly higher (P0.05) than T2, and T3. Digestibility coefficient of dry matter and organic matter differed non-significantly among the treatments. The CP digestibility was significantly (P0.05) higher in Tt as compared to T2, T3 and T4, which differred nonsignificantly among themselves. The digestibility of ADF was significantly (PO.05) higher in treated straw (T2, T3 and T4) than untreated straw (T1): There was no significant difference (PO.05) among treatments on body weight gain, thus indicating a saving of about 25 concentrate mixture fed with ammonia (urea) treated baled wheat straw.

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