NUTRIENT UTILIZATION AND RUMEN FERMENTATION PATTERN IN BUFFALOS FED RATIONS SUPPLEMENTED WITH FORMALDEHYDE-TREATED UREA MOLASSES MINERAL BLOCKS

To overcome the problem of hygroscopic nature of urea molasses mineral blocks (UMMB), formaldehyde and phosphoric acid were added to these ( FUMMB). Eight fistulated male buffaloes weighing around 350 kg were di vided into two groups and were offered the UMMB without or with formal dehyde and phosphoric acid as a lick. One kg wheat bran and ad libitum wheat straw were fed individually. The UMMB contained 37 parts sugarc ane molasses, 10 parts each of urea, cement and fish meal, 32 parts wh eat bran, 1 part common salt and 0.1 part vitablend Besides these, 225 ml formaldehyde and 45 ml phosphoric acid per 100 kg block were added to FUMMB. Dry matter intake, digestibility and rumen fermentation pat tern were similar in both the groups. As FUMMB was not found to be hyg roscopic, it is recommended for practical use.