Effect of Organic and inorganic fertilizer on nutriutive value of sorghum fodder in cattle ration

Abstract

Jowar (Sorghum bicolor cv. PC-6) grown under organic and inorganic fertilizer agronomic practices was evaluated for its chemical constituents and IVDMD in green stage and for in vivo evaluation 12 lactating cattle (mean body weight 312±9.18 kg) distributed equally in G1 and 02 groups. They were offered organic and inorganic sorghum hay, respectively, along with 0.5 kg concentrate at each milking to assess their effect on intake, nutrients utilization, milk yield and composition and reproductive perfonnance. CP was relatively more in organic (10.82 and 6.97) than inorganically grown sorghum (8.94 and 6.13%), while the cell wall fractions were 3-3.5 units less in former than later both at green stage and hay, respectively. IVDMD (%) of organic sorghum (green) was 4 units more than inorganically produced sorghum. DMI (% body weight and glkg WO·75 ) was comparable in the animals fed organic and inorganically grown sorghum. DM, OM, CP, NDF and cellulose digestibility was nonsignificantly higher in animals fed organic vis..a.-vis inorganic sorghum. Hemicellulose digestibility was higher in organic than that in inorganic sorghum fed animals. Milk fat, protein, TSS and SNF contents were identical in animals fed organic and inorganically produced sorghum. Half of the animals fed organic sorghum came into heat while none of the animals fed inorganic sorghum showed the estrus symptoms. These preliminary results indicated that organically grown sorghum has relatively higher nutritive value.