Evaluation of crop residue based complete rations for augmenting milk and meat production in buffaloes and sheep

Abstract

In the present study, initially three isonitrogenous complete rations (roughage: concentrate, 60:40) were formulated using locally available crop residues such as maize stover (T1), red gram straw (T2) and black gram straw (T3) along with a conventional feeding system (control C ) comprising of paddy straw, hybrid napier and concentrate mixture fed separately were evaluated for their nutrient digestibility, balance, nutritive value and rumen fermentation pattern using four rumen fistulated Murrah buffalo bulls and adult Nellore rams in a 4X4 LSD in each. The crop residues, conventional and complete rations were also evaluated by in vitro and in situ methods to study the DM, CP, NDF and ADF degradabilities. Subsequently, two on-farm trials were conducted, one with lactating Murrah buffaloes using maize stover based complete ration (T1) and the other with growing Nellore ram lambs using black gram straw based complete ration (T3). newlineIn a 120 day on-farm lactation trial, 20 farmers possessing minimum of two lactating Murrah buffaloes were selected and fed such that one of the animal was fed on maize stover based complete ration (T1) while the other on a conventional (C) feeding system (grazing + hybrid napier + paddy straw and concentrate mixture) thus consisting of two groups of 20 buffaloes each. newline newline