Effect of feeding complete ration vis-a.-vis conventional ration on nutrient utilization and rumen metabolism in crossbred cattle

Abstract

Rumen fistulated male crossbred cattle (3), 2 to 2.5 year old (average body weight of 32:" kg) Were fed Concentrate mixture, wheat straw and green berseem separately conventional ration, treatment I), uniformly blended concentrate mixture and wheat straw (complete ration, treatment 2) and uniformerly blended concerentrate mixture, wheat straw and green berseem (complete ration, treatment 3) in a 3x3 latin square switch-over design. The rations were formulated so as to support for maintenance and 500 g gain. There was significant difference in the daily dry matter total digestible nutrients (TDN) and digestible crude protein (DCP) intake per kg metabolie body size among the 3 treatment groups. The digestibility coefficient values for dry matter. organic matter and crude fibre in treatment 3 were significantly higher than that in treatment 2. The total nitrogen, TCA- precipitable protein nitrogen and non-protein nitrogen concentration in strained rumen liquor (SRL) of animals increased after feeding and the peak was observed at 2 to 4 hr post-feeding in all the treatments, but the mean values did not differ r significeantly among different treatment groups. The mean values of ammonia nitrogen and total volatile fatly acids (TVFA) concentration in SRI of animal treatment 1 and 3 in which green berseem was supplemented were comparable and were significantly higher than that in traetment 2 in which complete feed was prepared without green berseem. The activity of ruminal enzymes, viz. anaylsis carboxymethyl cellulase, xylanase, a-glucosidase, B-glueosidase and B-xylosidase was highest in particular material followed by extra cellular and cellular fraction of SRI .. The maximum activity of most of the enzymes was at 2 h post-feeding.