Performance of Crossbred Cattle Fed Chopped Green Sugarcane Tops and Supplemented with Wheat Bran or Lentil Chuni Concentrates

Gendley, M. K.; Singh, P.; Garg, A. K.

doi:2002.15.10.1422

Article

Animal Breeding and Genetics

Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences 2002;15(10): 1422-1427.
https://doi.org/10.5713/ajas.2002.1422 Published online January 1, 2002.

Performance of Crossbred Cattle Fed Chopped Green Sugarcane Tops and Supplemented with Wheat Bran or Lentil Chuni Concentrates

M. K. Gendley, P. Singh, A. K. Garg

Abstract

Fifteen crossbred cattle bulls of about 22-24 months age (mean body weight ranged from 291.0 to 298.1 kg) were randomly divided into 3 groups of 5 animals following randomized block design. Animals in group 1 were fed concentrate mixture containing wheat bran 97%, mineral mixture 2% and salt 1% plus ad libitum chopped green sugarcane tops (SCT) as a roughage source. Animals in group 2 were fed concentrate mixture containing lentil chuni 97%, mineral mixture 2% and salt 1% while group 3 concentrate contained wheat bran 48.5%, lentil chuni 48.5%, mineral mixture 2% and salt 1% plus ad libitum chopped green SCT to meet their maintenance requirements. During metabolism trial period, the mean total intake and digestibility of DM in groups 1, 2 and 3 was 8.09 0.41, 8.41 0.49 and 7.86 0.16 kg/d and 60.24, 63.24 and 65.05%, respectively. The intake of CP (p<0.05) and EE (p<0.01) was significantly higher in group 2 and group 1, respectively as compared to remaining 2 groups, which were comparable. Digestibility of CP and EE was significantly (p<0.01) higher in group 3 and that of CP was comparable with group 2. The intake and digestibility of total carbohydrates, NDF, ADF, Hemi-cellulose and cellulose were similar among 3 groups. The mean body weight changes in group 1, 2 and 3 were 173.4, 253.4 and 203.4 g/d, respectively, which was significantly (p<0.05) higher in group 2. The total nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) intakes were significantly higher in group 2 and group 1, respectively. The total volatile fatty acids, ammonia-N, trichloro-acetic acid precipitable nitrogen (TCA ppt.-N; p<0.05), total-N concentrations and pH were significantly (p<0.01) higher in group 3, however, pH and TCA ppt.-N was comparable with group 2 and 1, respectively. From the results, it may be deduced that the feeding of chopped green SCT supplemented with a concentrate mixture having both wheat bran (48.5%) and lentil chuni (48.5%) has shown a better performance with respect to intake and digestibility of nutrients and growth as well.

Keywords: Green Sugarcane Tops; Crossbred Cattle; Intake; Digestibility and Balance of Nutrients; Rumen Parameters