Effect of Feeding Conventional and Non-Conventional Concentrate Mixtures with Oat-Silage on Nutrient Utilization in Growing Buffalo Calves

Effect of replacement of concentrate mixture with (w/w) non-conventional concentrate mixture was studied by feeding oat-silage ad lib (control T1); oat-silage+ conventlonal concentrate mixture (T2), and oat ullage + nonconvcntional concentrate mixture (T3), to 1 to 1.5 year old growing buffalo bull calves. The average daily gain in weight was 330, 553 and 501 g in T1, T2 and T3 groups, respectively, during 84 days growth period. The digestibility of DM, CP, EE and NFE were significantly (P<0.05) higher in the two test groups as compared to control. Among the treatments it was higherin T1 group. The nitrogen balance was better in two groups as compared to control. The nutritive value of the pooled rations in terms of DCP and TDN were 3.61, 64.21; 6.80, 66.81 and 6.12, 61.89% in oat-silage, T2 and T3 groups, respectively. It may be inferred ttat a non-conventional concentrate mixture containing 85% DSB, 2% urea, 19% molasses alongwlth mineral mixture and salt supplemented with oat-silage prepared at milk stage may prove to be economical ration for growing buffalo calves.