COMPARATIVE NUTRITIVE-VALUE OF HAYS FROM THE HUMID SUBTROPICAL AND WET-TEMPERATE GRASSLANDS OF HIMACHAL-PRADESH FOR CROSSBRED CALVES

The conventional hays available from 2 grasslands located at 1 130 m ( humid sub-tropical) and 2 000 m (wet-temperate) above msl, were nutrit ionally evaluated in growing calves. On the basis of nutritional chara cteristics the respective hays were graded as low and medium quality r oughages. The humid sub-tropical grassland hay was inadequate to maint ain the body weights of growing calves. The hay from wet-temperate gra ssland was also not nutritionally adequate to support normal growth ra tes of calves. The herbage of both the sites was marginally deficient in copper and zinc.