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Twenty male buffalo calves of 6-9 months of age (average body weight, 97 kg) were randomly allocated into two main groups of four (control) and sixteen (supplemented) calves. The supplemented group was further divided in to four equal sub-groups, with the two groups supplemented with a liquid preparation of urea-molasses, UML1, containing fish meal and UML2, containing formaldehyde treated deoiled mustard cake (FDMC) and the other two, with a semi-solid preparation, UMC1 with FDMC and deoiled rice bran (DORB) contributing similar level of CP as in UML2 and UMC2 with double the level of FDMC to that in UMC1. The control group was fed with DORB along with ad libitum wheat straw at 40:60 ratios. The rest of the groups were fed on the above diet supplemented with 500 g (as fed basis) of urea-molasses preparations. The experimental feeding was carried out for 24 weeks including a metabolism trial towards the end of experimental feeding. Daily feed intake and fortnightly change in live weight were also recorded during the study. Catalytic supplementation of 500 g urea-molasses induced 8-25% higher voluntary feed intake of wheat straw, resulting in 15-25% higher DM and OM intake. The digestibility of DM, OM, total carbohydrate, NDF, ADF, hemicellulose and cellulose in all the dietary groups were comparable. The CP digestibility of calves in supplemented groups were higher (p

Mehra, U.R., Challa, J. and Singh, U.B. 1993. Nutrient utilisation and rumen fermentation pattern in buffaloes fed rations supplemented with formaldehyde treated urea molasses mineral blocks. J. Appl. Anim. Res., 4: 67–72. To overcome the problem of hygroscopic nature of urea molasses mineral blocks (UMMB), formaldehyde and phosphoric acid were added to these (FUMMB). Eight postulated male buffaloes weighing around 350 kg were divided into two groups and were offered the UMMB without or with formaldehyde and phosphoric acid as a lick. One kg wheat bran and ad libitum wheat straw were fed individually. The UMMB contained 37 parts sugarcane molasses, 10 parts each of urea, cement and fish meal, 32 parts wheat bran, 1 part common salt and 0.1 part vitablend. Besides these, 225 ml formaldehyde and 45 ml phosphoric acid per 100 kg block were added to FUMMB. Dry matter intake, digestibility and rumen fermentation pattern were similar in both the groups. As FUMMB was not found to be hygroscopic, it is r...

Twenty male buffalo calves of about 9–13 months of age were divided at random into five groups of four animals each. All the animals were individually offered wheat bhoosa (chopped straw) ad libitum and wheat bran and oil-extracted rice bran each at 500 g day−1. Calves of Groups 2, 3, 4 and 5 were given urea molasses mineral block (UMMB as lick) ad libitum. In addition, calves of Groups 3, 4 and 5 were supplemented with fish meal at the rate of 50, 100 and 150 g, respectively. The UMMB contained 38% molasses, 10% urea, 10% cement, 40% wheat bran, 1% salt and 1% mineral mixture. After a feeding period of 130 days, a metabolism trial of 7 days duration was conducted. The average daily dry matter intake was higher (P It may be concluded that the prevailing practice in the rural areas of developing countries of keeping growing calves solely on wheat bhoosa and a small amount of poor-grade concentrate is not satisfactory. This feed can be economically supplemented with UMMB and 100 g fish meal to maintain a fairly good growth rate for the calves.

The effect of small amounts of fish meal on the utilization of ammoniated wheat bhoosa (chopped straw) was examined in seven groups of three buffalo calves. All animals were offered ammoniated wheat straw (69.5%) mixed manually with molasses (29%), common salt (0.5%), a mineral supplement (1.0%) and a vitamin supplement (25 g (100 kg)−1 feed) which was compressed into a block weighing 6–7 kg. The blocks were supplemented with fish meal at the rate of 0, 25, 50, 100 or 200 g day−1; two additional groups received 25 or 50 g fish meal day−1 and 500 g oil-extracted rice bran per animal. A metabolism trial of 7 days duration was conducted at the end of a 95-day feeding trial. Dry matter intake was significantly increased in animals supplemented with fish meal. There were no significant differences in the digestibility of nutrients. Daily live weight gains were 105, 125, 209, 230 and 301 g in the groups offered increasing quantities of fish meal and 323 and 389 g in the groups offered 25 and 50 g fish meal and rice bran. It is concluded that a complete feed block containing ammoniated wheat straw, molasses, minerals, salts, vitamins and a small amount of bypass protein is suitable for animals experiencing drought and famine. The blocks occupy less space than uncompressed feed and are easy to handle and store.

Volatile fatty acid (VFA) production rates were measured by isotope dilution technique in the rumen of buffalo calves fed on wheat straw plus concentrate, green maize, cow pea and berseem. Correlations derived between the VFA production rates and their concentration and DOM were significant except in animals fed on cow pea. The VFA production rates were also significantly correlated with the TDN intake in all the four feeds tested. The regression equations obtained for the four feeds were different, which suggested that VFA production may vary with the quantity and quality of feed digested. These experiments suggest the use of different regression equations for different feeds.

Oat straw, wheat straw and sugar-cane bagasse were treated by incubation for 21 days with various combinations of hydrogen peroxide, ammonia and urea. The polyester bag (in sacco) technique was employed to measure rumen microbial degradation of treated feeds. Analyses of treated material indicated that urea, and peroxide plus urea, were significant in solubilizing lignin and thus enhancing the cell contents. H2O2 treatment enhanced (P < 0·01) the extent of digestion of DM, NDF, ADF and cellulose over 48 h for wheat straw and sugar-cane bagasse. Ammoniation increased (P < 0·01) the rumen degradability of DM and CWC of the crop residues studied, though the response with sugar-cane bagasse was poor. Hydrogen peroxide in combination with aqueous ammonia treatments gave significantly (P < 0·01) higher in sacco degradability values than other alkaline H2O2 treatments. However, H2O2 treatment of sugar-cane bagasse increased (P < 0·01) the fermentability of structural carbohydrates more than alkaline hydrogen peroxide treatments.

SummaryThe rate of production of bacteria in the rumen of buffalo calves kept on two rations was measured using14C labelledStreptococcus bovisand35S whole ruminal bacterial cells. The animals received daily either 15–20 kg green maize or 25–30 kg green cow pea in 12 equal amounts at 2-h intervals. The bacterial cells from the rumen of animals maintained on the same diet were tagged with35S byin vitroincubation in the presence of35S-sodium sulphate. SimilarlyStreptococcus bovisof rumen origin was grown in the presence of U-14C dl-leucine. The cells were injected into the rumen in a single dose. The dilution of the specific radioactivity of bacterial cells in the rumen with time was taken for calculation of the turnover time and rate of production of bacteria.The average production rates of bacteria were 88·3 ± 3·88 and 92·3 ± 1·82 g/kg digestible organic matter and 101·8 ± 1·55 and 103·3 ± 1·49 g/kg digestible organic matter in animals fed green maize and cow pea, when estimated by using mixed rumen whole bacterial cells andStreptococcus bovisrespectively. There was no significant difference in the rate of bacteria production when estimated by either method.

The relative efficiency of voluntary consumption, chemical composition, digestibility in vitro and in vivo, was tested for predicting the nutritive value of five forages: berseem (Trifolium alexandrinum); green oat (Avena sativa); oat hay; cow pea (Vigna spp.) and maize (Zea mays). The digestibility coefficients of dry matter (DM), crude protein, acid-detergent lignin and energy were significantly correlated with DM intake. Digestibilities in vitro of DM and cellulose after 12-h incubation were significantly related to digestibilities in vivo of DM and energy. The values for cellulose digestibility in vitro at 24 h were similar to those for digestibility of energy in vivo. Significant correlations were obtained between the crude protein content of forages and the voluntary DM intake and digestibility of nutrients. Increased cellulose and acid-detergent fibre contents were each related with decreased DM intake and digestibility of nutrients.

SummaryExperiments were conducted on 12 male growing calves of zebu cattle (Bos indicus) and buffalo (Bos bubalis) to study the effect of feeding wheat straw presoaked with water on the voluntary feed intake, digestibility coefficients of nutrients and volatile fatty acid concentration and production. The feed intake was improved significantly (P < 0·05) in both the species as a result of soaking. The digestibility of crude protein and crude fibre was depressed (P < 0·05), whereas the nitrogen-free extract utilization increased significantly (P < 0·01) on soaking of straw. The availability of digestible energy and metabolizable energy was also more as a result of water treatment of wheat straw. The production rates of total volatile fatty acids and acetic acid were higher in both the species fed on water-soaked wheat straw. It is concluded that pre-soaking of wheat straw for 1–2 h with ordinary tap water may give an overall beneficial effect in both zebu and buffalo calves.

SummaryThe production rates of bacteria have been measured in the rumen of zebu calves and buffalo calves. The animals were fed green oat continuously at 2 h intervals. [35S]sodium sulphate was fed to the animals for 5 days at 2 h intervals by mixing in the feed. On the sixth day the radioactive feed was stopped and replaced by non-radioactive feed. The decline in the specific radioactivity of bacterial cells in the rumen as a function of time was taken for calculatingt/2. Simultaneously rumen volume was determined and pool size of bacterial cells was calculated in the rumen. A mathematical equation was applied to calculate the production rates of bacteria. The production rates of bacteria, on average, were 100·5 and 72·3 mg/min for buffalo calves and zebu calves, respectively.

The bacteria production rates in the rumen have been estimated by injecting 14C- and 35S-labelled mixed rumen bacteria, either live or killed by treatment with formaldehyde, into the rumen and applying isotope dilution technique. The rate of bacteria production when estimated by using either live- or dead-(protected-)labelled bacterial cells were comparable.

Total microbial protein synthesis rates in the rumen of buffaloes were estimated by isotope dilution technique, using 131I-albumin treated with tannic acid as a marker. The animals were fed groundnut cake treated with formaldehyde to meet 50% of their digestible crude protein (DCP) requirement and 2.5% urea molasses mixture was given to meet the remaining requirement of DCP. Wheat straw was fed as the basal roughage. The total average microbial protein synthesis was 58.14 g/day.

SummaryThe rates of production of protozoa in the rumen of buffalo calves have been estimated using a single-injection isotope dilution technique. The calves were fed at 2 levels of crude protein, namely, 13% lower and 19% higher than that recommended by the National Research Council. The animals were given their rations at 2-h intervals for 3 weeks. Thereafter 14C-labelled rumen protozoa were injected into the rumen of each calf in a single injection. Samples of the rumen liquor were drawn at various time-intervals for 10 h and were analysed for the concentration of protozoa and radioactivity. The decline in the specific radioactivity of protozoa cells in the rumen as a function of time was used for calculating half life (t½). A mathematical equation was used to calculate the rate of production of protozoa. The average t½ was 1077 min for both groups and the rates of production of protozoa were 73·9 and 92·1mg/min in groups fed on low and high planes of crude protein respectively, showing that the production of protozoa is significantly (P < 0·01) higher in animals consuming a ration high in crude protein.