NUTRIENT UTILIZATION IN CROSSBRED HEIFERS FED FINGER MILLET (ELEUCINECORACANA) STRAW WITH DIFFERENT PROPORTIONS OF BRAN AND SUPPLEMENTED WITH DIFFERENT LEVELS GROUNDNUT-CAKE AND COTTONSEED-CAKE

Crossbred heifers (36) were distributed equally under 6 treatment grou ps and offered finger millet straw (Eleucine coracana) and wheat bran in the ratio of 75:25 (group 1) supplemented with groundnut-cake (GNC) at 2 levels of 15 and 30 g rumen degradable nitrogen (RDN)/kg digesti ble organic matter (DOM) (groups 2, 3) and one level of cotton seed-ca ke (15g RDN/kg DOM) (group 4) and finger millet straw : wheat bran in the ratio of 60:40 (group 5) supplemented with 1 level of GNC (15g RDN /kg DOM) (group 6). The total dry matter intake (TDMI) did not differ significantly between different levels of supplement within the same l evels of straw : bran fed groups. The organic matter digestibility (OM D) were significantly higher in the groups fed straw : bran (75:25) an d supplemented with 2 levels of GNC as compared to CSC supplementation and unsupplemented groups. GNC supplementation to 60:40 straw : bran ratio had no significant effect on nutrient digestibility as compared to supplementing 75:25 straw : bran groups. Increasing the proportion of wheat bran to finger millet straw did not show any improvement in d iet digestibility. Also there was no significant difference between th e 2 levels of GNC supplement (15 and 30 g RDN/kg DOM) on nutrient util ization. Supplementing 15 g RDN/kg DOM through GNC to a diet of FMS : bran (75:25) was better in terms of improving digestibility of nutrien ts and economics of feeding.