Publication Date:
1992-10-01
Description:
SUMMARYSwamp buffaloes (Bubalus bubalis) and crossbred cattle (B. indicus x B. taurus) were offered two forages in two experiments. In Expt 1, four animals of each species were offered mature Rhodes grass hay (Chloris gayana) with a mineral supplement or with a supplement of minerals and urea (17·6 gN/d). In Expt 2, another group of four buffaloes and four cattle were offered mature spear grass hay( Heteropogon contortus) with mineral supplementation at intervals of 3 h. Four levels of urea (0, 5, 21 and 97 g/day) and 35S-sulphate were continuously infused in four periods.Rhodes grass was consumed in greater amounts by cattle, whereas buffaloes ate more spear grass. Urea supplements increased intake of Rhodes grass by 12% in buffaloes and 22% in cattle, and of spear grass by 34% in buffaloes and 41 % in cattle. Digestibility of cell wall constituents and acid-detergent fibre of spear grass was lower (P 〈 0·05) in buffaloes than in cattle (417 v. 499; 471 v. 560 g/kg respectively). In Expt 2, dry matter digestibility progressively increased (P 〈 0·05) from 364 to 408 g/kg with increased urea infusion. Rumen dry matter pool increased by 11–21 % on infusion of 97 g urea/day, compared with no urea. Digestion of ground forages incubated in situ in the rumen was depressed below rumen ammonia levels of 30–60 mg N/l, while digestion of cotton thread was depressed below 60–80 mg N/l (Expt 1) or 150–200 mg N/l (Expt 2).Patterns of N content in cotton thread suggested that more microbes attached in buffaloes and there was subsequently faster detachment than in cattle, particularly with increased urea infusion.
Print ISSN:
0021-8596
Electronic ISSN:
1469-5146
Topics:
Agriculture, Forestry, Horticulture, Fishery, Domestic Science, Nutrition
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