Effect of Roughage : Concentrate Ratio on the Rumen Volume, Rumen Degradation and the Digestibility of Proximate Principles in Cattle and Buffalo

Cattle and buffaloe lieifers of the same age and weight were fed compound pellected feed having different concentrate : roughage ratios (I 75:25; II 50:50; and III 25:75) x 2 daily to study the species difference with respect to apparent digestibility of proximate principles and degradation of DM and OM in the rumen. Roughage addition had significant effect on the apparent digestibility of proximate principles except CP. While the species difference was significant for the apparent digestibility of EE only (Cattle 80.5 and buffalo 77.0), rest all values were similar. The species difference in the degradation of DM and OM in the rumen was higher with diet II in buffalo. On diets I and II, buffalo had larger rumen fluid volume than cattle, but were at par on diet III.