Abstract 84

Dass,-RS; Jai-Kishan; Singh,-UB

Animal Nutrition Division, Indian Veterinary Research Institute, Izatnagar 243 122, India.

Journal-of-Nuclear-Agriculture-and-Biology. 1989, 18: 3, 179-183; 23 ref.

Nutrient digestibility and total volatile fatty acid (TVFA) production rates were studied in 9 rumen fistulated male (Holstein Friesian X Hariana) cattle fed on isonitrogenous diets of untreated paddy straw with groundnut cake (1) urea (2) or ammoniated paddy straw (3). There were no significant differences in the digestibilities of DM, organic matter and nitrogen-free extract among groups. Digestibility coefficients of crude protein were 68.56 ñ 2.83, 68.92 ñ 3.53 and 42.10 ñ 3.89% in groups 1-3, respectively, indicating a poor utilization of nitrogen supplied through ammonia. Crude fibre digestibility was 77.73 ñ 2.61% in group 3 which increased (P < 0.01) due to ammoniation in comparison to untreated straw fed in groups 1 and 2. TVFA production rates were 26.19 ñ 1.86, 16.42 ñ 1.61 and 18.34 ñ 2.67 mol/day in groups 1, 2 and 3, respectively, and were significantly higher in group 1 compared with the other 2 groups. Acetic acid, propionic acid and butyric acid production rates were significantly higher in group 1. TVFA production rates/kg digestible organic matter were 8.36 ñ 0.63, 6.08 ñ 0.72 and 7.96 ñ 0.25 mol in groups 1, 2 and 3, respectively, indicating no significant differences among the different sources of dietary N.