Rafaqat Ali
Improvement In The Nutritive Value Of Fibrous Crop By-Products By Urea Treatment - 1994
Wheat straw and rice straw are two of the largest annually harvested crop by-products in Pakistan, and are commonly fed to buffaloes as well as cattle as a staple roughage source. These coarse roughages are essentially energy feeds in which the cell wall constituents may be as high as 80 percent of the total dry matter. However, productivity in ruminants given such straw diets is limited, primarily due to energy deficiency. Low digestibility and low nitrogen content of these roughages does not adequately satisfy microbial growth requirements, which are therefore major limiting factors responsible for poor efficiency of nutrient utilization.
In the present study, two fibrous crop by-products - wheat straw and rice straw, were treated with urea (as a source of ammonia), at 50 percent moisture level with or without added urease source at two different temperatures (220C and 390C) for three different periods (14, 21 and 28 days). Digestibilities of the treated and untreated feedstuffs were determined by in sacco technique. All the samples were chemically analysed for proximate as well as cell wall constituents before and after any treatment and after incubation in the rumen.
Increasing duration of urea-treatment invariably increased the crude protein content in all the treatments. At 28 days, difference between crude protein values of samples treated with urea alone or urea along with urease source was not statistically significant. Crude fiber contents of wheat and rice straw was inversely effected both by higher temperature and longer treatment period. Both mineral matter contents and ether extract values were not significantly effected by any of the treatment while NFE values were significantly reduced. Decrease in NDF and hemicellulose values after treatment was observed. Addition of urease hastened the process, though at 28 days, the difference between samples treated with or without the addition of urease was non-significant. Treatments increased the in sacco disappearance of DM, CF, CP, NDF, ADF and hemicellulose. Addition of urease and higher temprature increased the rate of change. Difference between urea treated and urea plus urease treatmed samples was relatively more marked in case of wheat straw than in rice straw, though in both the feedstuffs, it was non-significant at the end of treatment i.e., 28 days.
Department of Animal Nutrition
0401,T
Improvement In The Nutritive Value Of Fibrous Crop By-Products By Urea Treatment - 1994
Wheat straw and rice straw are two of the largest annually harvested crop by-products in Pakistan, and are commonly fed to buffaloes as well as cattle as a staple roughage source. These coarse roughages are essentially energy feeds in which the cell wall constituents may be as high as 80 percent of the total dry matter. However, productivity in ruminants given such straw diets is limited, primarily due to energy deficiency. Low digestibility and low nitrogen content of these roughages does not adequately satisfy microbial growth requirements, which are therefore major limiting factors responsible for poor efficiency of nutrient utilization.
In the present study, two fibrous crop by-products - wheat straw and rice straw, were treated with urea (as a source of ammonia), at 50 percent moisture level with or without added urease source at two different temperatures (220C and 390C) for three different periods (14, 21 and 28 days). Digestibilities of the treated and untreated feedstuffs were determined by in sacco technique. All the samples were chemically analysed for proximate as well as cell wall constituents before and after any treatment and after incubation in the rumen.
Increasing duration of urea-treatment invariably increased the crude protein content in all the treatments. At 28 days, difference between crude protein values of samples treated with urea alone or urea along with urease source was not statistically significant. Crude fiber contents of wheat and rice straw was inversely effected both by higher temperature and longer treatment period. Both mineral matter contents and ether extract values were not significantly effected by any of the treatment while NFE values were significantly reduced. Decrease in NDF and hemicellulose values after treatment was observed. Addition of urease hastened the process, though at 28 days, the difference between samples treated with or without the addition of urease was non-significant. Treatments increased the in sacco disappearance of DM, CF, CP, NDF, ADF and hemicellulose. Addition of urease and higher temprature increased the rate of change. Difference between urea treated and urea plus urease treatmed samples was relatively more marked in case of wheat straw than in rice straw, though in both the feedstuffs, it was non-significant at the end of treatment i.e., 28 days.
Department of Animal Nutrition
0401,T