Nutrient Intake and Utilization in Lambs Fed Azolla microphylla Meal as a Partial Replacement for Mustard Cake in Concentrate Mixture

Abstract

Eighteen Jalauni lambs (n=18, average BW 22.43 kg) of similar sex and age were divided in to three groups of 6 animals each to study the effect of azolla meal as a replacer for mustard cake protein on nutrient intake and utilization. In control group (T1), the animals were fed ad lib. green chaff of MP chari (a variety of
Sorghum bicolor) with concentrate mixture as per requirement (ICAR, 1998) whereas in groups T2 and T3 the CP of mustard cake was replaced @ 25% and 50% with azolla meal protein in the concentrate mixtures C1 and C2
respectively. Average DMI was 3.90, 3.77 and 3.49% of the live BW in groups T1, T2 and T3, respectively. Digestibility of DM and OM was comparable in T1 (61.43 and 64.98%) and T2 (59.91 and 62.97%), however, it was higher (P<0.05) than in group T3 (51.57 and 56.51%). The CP digestibility reduced (P<0.05) with the gradual inclusion of azolla meal in groups T2 and T3. Although N intake was similar in three experimental groups, the excretion of N through faeces was higher (P<0.05) in group T3. N retention as % of N intake was comparable in groups T1 and T2 but was higher than that in group T3. It could be concluded that azolla meal could replace mustard oil cake up to 25% on nitrogen equivalent basis without affecting nutrient utilization in Jalauni lambs.