Sixteen adult male buffaloes (average body weight 443±14 kg) were equally distributed into four groups in an experiment to study the effect of supplementary protein sources on energy utilization efficiency in buffaloes fed a wheat straw-based diet. The animals in the control group were offered a basal diet composed of 700 g deoiled ground nut cake and ad libitum wheat straw. Animals of other groups were offered 1.8 kg of soyabean meal (SBM), linseed meal (LSM) or mustard cake (MC) along with the basal diet. Protein supplementation increased the digestibility of DM (p<0.01), OM (p<0.01) CP (p<0.01) and CF (p<0.05). Maximum CP digestibility was observed on SBM, followed by LSM and MC when compared to the control. Total DMI and DOMI was significantly (p<0.01) higher in protein supplemented groups with no differences between treatment groups. Digestible crude protein (DCP) intake and N balance were significantly (p<0.01) different between the groups; maximum response was obtained with SBM supplementation, followed by LSM and MC. Faecal energy was significantly (p<0.01) lower in SBM and LSM groups in comparison to other groups. Methane production (% DEI) was significantly (p<0.05) lower on the SBM treatment. Metabolizable energy (ME) intake increased significantly due to protein supplementation. Metabolizable energy intake (MEI) of animals in the MC group was less than LSM and SBM. Energy balance was increased significantly (p<0.01) due to protein supplementation and within supplement variation was also significant with maximum balance in SBM followed by LSM and MC groups. Protein supplementation significantly (p<0.05) increased the digestibility and metabolizability of energy from whole ration. Metabolizable energy (ME) content (Mcal/kg DM) of SBM, LSM and MC was 4.49, 3.56 and 2.56, respectively. It was concluded that protein supplementation of wheat straw increased intake, digestibility and metabolizability of energy and maximum response could be obtained when soybean meal was used as a supplement.
Crossbred gilts (n=54) of about 26.38±0.85 kg body weight and 25 weeks of age were randomly divided into 18 groups of 3 animals each. Three dietary treatments viz., T 1 , T 2 and T 3 were formulated. The treatment T 1 containing maize grain (35%) and wheat bran (47%) along with soybean meal and fish meals served as control diet. Rice bran (RB) was selected as a single source of fat (13.02%) and fibre (17.12%), which was gradually increased in diets T 2 (41%) and T 3 (82%) replacing maize grain and wheat bran of T 1 at 50% and 100% in the diets T 2 and T 3 , respectively. The fat and fibre levels of the diets were thus 3.46 and 5.24, 9.31and 9.69 and 11.61and 13.26% in T 1 , T 2 and T 3 , respectively. All the diets, however, contained almost similar concentration of CP (18.35±0.29%). Each dietary treatment was offered to six replicated groups of 3 piglets in following completely randomized design and feeding was continued for 112 days during the growing phase. Growth, feed utilization, reproductive performance, nutrient utilization and different blood biochemical parameters were studied. Growth rate, feed intake and feed conversion were lower (p<0.01) in T 3 in comparison to T 1 or T 2 . Digestibility of all the nutrients except EE was reduced significantly (p<0.01) in T 3 . Serum glucose level decreased (p<0.01), whereas the urea and cholesterol concentration in the blood increased (p<0.01) in T 3 . The duration of estrus of pigs fed diet containing 82% RB (T 3 ) was highly variable within the group, but all the groups showed statistically similar duration of estrous. Feed cost per unit gain was found to be comparable between control (T 1 ) and T 2 group. The results indicated that RB can be included up to 41% in swine diets replacing 50% of maize and wheat bran. Higher concentrations of ether extract and fibre beyond 9.31 and 9.69% in diet had detrimental effect on growth, nutrient utilization and reproductive performance.
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