Dried ryegrass (Lolium perene) grown in combination with berseem/lucerne as a replacement for conventional concentrate mixture in the ration of buffalo bull calves

Abstract

Sun-cured ryegrass + berseem hay (T.1) and ryegrass + lucerne hay (T-2) were incorporated in the concentrate mixture, of growing buffalo bull calves, and evaluated on the basis of in vitro digestible organic matter. The average digestibility of DM, OM, CP and EE in the control and two treatment groups were not different significantly. The digestibility of CF and ADF were higher (P<0.05) in the 2 treatment groups as compared to control, but between the 2 treatments, the differences were nonsignificant. The average daily gain of calves was 521, 542 and 534 g in control, T-1, and T-2 groups respectively. The N-retention and voluntary DM intake were similar in all the experimental groups. The replacement value of ryegrass + berseem (T-1), and ryegrass + luceme hay (T-2) for 1 kg conventional concentrate mixture was 1.25 and 1 ,26 kg, respectively, based on in vitro digestible organic matter. The buffalo bull calves can be economically reared by replacing hay on bajra silage based rations provided the CF content of pooled ration is below 25%.