Effect of feeding different forms of water hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes) on palatability in growing calves.

Forty/our male crossl-red (Jersey x Haryana) calves (6-9 m; 72-120 kg) were used to study the palatability of water hyacinth in fresh, wilted and its silage with paddy straw for a period of 6 wks. Water hyacinth siiage with prddy straw fed with concentrate mixture was more palatable than its fresh or wilted forms. Addition of molasses while ensiling increased palatabillty. However, fresh and wilted forms were equally good in promoting growth at all levels studied. When fed ad lib along with concentrate mixture, silage was superior to the feeding of either para grass or straw or both at 50:50 ratio but not to fresh or wilted forms in promoting growth.