Evaluation of Ammonia Treated Paddy Straw in Growing Buffalo Calves

Twenty five female buffalo calves of about 13.00±0.22 m age and 132.99 ±2.36 kg b.wt. were divided into 5 group of 5 each. The animals were fed individually on paddy straw and concentrate mixture, urea ammoniated paddy straw, urea ammoniated paddy straw + concentrate mixture, urea impregnated paddy straw and urea impregnated paddy straw + concentrate mixture in groups I, II, III, IV and V, respectively. The average daily DM intake was higher (P<0.05) in groups II, III, IV and V than in group I. The digestibility of DM, CF and NFE were significantly increased in groups supplemented with concentrate mixture. The balance of N was more (P<0.01) in groups I, III and V than tn groups II and IV. The balance was highest in group III i.e. on paddy straw treated with 4% urea at 30% moisture level. The daily gain in body weight was higher by calves in group III (249.58±1.15 g/d) as compared witli group I (222.92±10g/d), group II (66.66 ±1.00 g/d); group IV (37.70±1.40 g/d) and V (231.83±1.21g/d). The results, thus indicated that urea ammoniated paddy straw could profitably constitute an efficient basal roughage for growing buffalo calves.