UTILIZATION OF SUNFLOWER (HELIANTHUS-ANNUUS) HEADS AS ROUGHAGE SOURCEIN COMPLETE DIETS

Two complete diets containing (i) 40% ground sunflower heads and (ii) 20% ground flower heads + 20% lucerne hay, were compared with a conven tional diet containing concentrate mixture and chopped sorghum straw f ed separately by feeding to 3 permanently fislulated crossbred bulls i n digestion and metabolism experiments using 3 x 3 latin square. Organ ic matter, NFE (P<0.05), CP and lignin (P<0.01) digestibilities were s ignificantly higher on complete diet 2. Complete diet 1 recorded highe r (P<0.01) CP and lignin digestibilities compared to conventional diet . DCP content was significantly (P<0.01) higher un complete diets comp ared to conventional diet. Ali the experimental animals on all tile di ets mel DCP anti TDN requirements. The concentration of all N fraction s and TVFA were significantly (P<0.01) higher on complete diet and low er on conventional diet. All the ill fractions peaked at 2 hr post fee ding and declined thereafter. pH values were lowest at 2 hr post findi ng while TVFA concentrations peaked at 4 hr post feeding.