EFFECT OF FEEDING GREEN BERSEEM AND AMMONIATED WHEAT OAT STRAW AD-LIBWITH WHEAT BARLEY (GRAIN) ON NUTRIENT UTILIZATION IN GROWING BUFFALO HEIFERS

Comparative utilization of wheat-straw + 2 kg green berseem + concentr ate mixture (control); ammoniated oat straw + 2 kg green berseem + 1 k g wheat (grain) (T-1), ammoniated oat straw + green berseem + 1 kg bar ley (grain) (T-2), ammoniated wheat straw + green berseem + 1 kg wheat (grain) (T-3), and ammoniated wheal straw + green berseem + 1 kg barl ey (grain) (T-4), was studied by feeding straw and green berseem ad li b. to 1-year-old growing female buffalo heifers. The average daily gai n of heifers was 503. 665, 607, 578 and 572 g in control, T-1, T-2, T- 3 and T-4 groups, respectively, during 120 days. The differences were significantly higher in treatment groups as compared to that in contro l; but within the treatments they were higher in oat-straw-based ratio ns. The differences in the digestibilities of DM, OM, CP, CF, energy a mong experimental rations were nonsignificant; however, the digestibil ity of NFE was significantly higher in the control group than in vario us test groups. A reverse trend was observed for the digestibility of CP and ADE. The nitrogen retained as per cent of observed nitrogen was better in the control group. It remained almost similar. There was an increasing trend in the concentration of NH3-N and total VFA in rumen liquor at 0 and 6 hr feeding and between various experimental groups it remained unaffected. Similar trend was observed lor the concentrati on of blood glucose, serum proteins and serum albumin in various exper imental groups. The higher activity of serum GOT, GPT and alkaline pho sphatase was noticed at 0 and 6 hr feeding in the various experimental groups as compared to control. Feed to gain ratio was higher in the c ontrol group than test group. Similarly, the cost/kg gain (Rs) in the control, T-1, T-2, T-3 and T-4 groups was Rs 13.47, 8.42, 9.01, 9.80 a nd 9.84 respectively. It was inferred that free choice feeding of gree n berseem and fermented oat/wheat straw along with 1 kg wheat/barley g rain as a source of energy can result in economical raising of growing buffalo heifers.