Rumen Fermentation Pattern on Complete Diets Based on Dry Mixed Grass or Cotton Seed Hulls in Crossbred Bulls

Two complete diets containing 55% dry mixed grass (DMG, diet 1) or 55% cotton seed hulls (CSH, diet 2) were compared with a control diet containing 55 parts DMG and 5p parts concentrate supplement, fed separately, to 3 permanently rumen fistulated crossbred (Jersy x Ongole) bulls using 3x3 latin square design. Ruminal concentrations of all the nitrogen fractions except that of residual N were higher on complete diets than on control diet. Peak concentrations of all nitrogen fractions were at 4 it post-feeding except residual nitrogen which peaked at 2 h post-feeding. The TVFA concentrations, peaked at 4 h post feeding on all diets, were inveresely related with pH. The digestibility of all the nutrients except that of DM was comparable on all the diets. All the experimental animals were on positive nitrogen, calcium and phosphorus balances and met the DCP and TDN requirements. Higher rumen fermentability and nutrient utilization on diet 2 indicated that utilization of poor quality roughages can be improved by their incorporation in the complete diets rather than feeding separately along with concentrate mixture.