Voluntary intake, nutrients digestibility and rate of passage of groundnut straw in sheep and goats

Twelve healthy growing female animals, six each of sheep (Sonadi) and goats (Devgarhi) were fed on groundnut straw ad lib. for 30 days. Thereafter, straw was offered twice a day for 10 days and thrice a day during subsequent period of 10 days. Rate of passage of feed residue through digestive tract was determined at the end of first phase of feeding. Groundnut straw contained 90.0 DM, 92.0 OM, 11.1 CP, 30.4 CF, 2.6 EE, 47.8 NFE and 7.9% ash on DM basis. The digestibility coefficients of CP, CF, EE and NFE were significantly higher in goats than sheep. The rate of passage of digesta indicated similar 5% excretion time in both the species, but there was significantly higher rumen retention time and mean retention time in sheep as compared to goats. Non significant difference was observed in voluntary intake of groundnut straw in both species irrespective of frequency of feeding.