Nutrient Intake and Utilization in Lambs Fed Azolla microphylla Meal as a Partial Replacement for Mustard Cake in Concentrate Mixture

摘要

Eighteen Jalauni lambs (n= 18, average B W 22.43 kg) of similar sex and age were divided in to three groups of 6 animals each to study the effect of azolla meal as a replacer for mustard cake protein on nutrient intake and utilization. In control group (Tj), the animals were fed ad lib. green chaff of MP chari (a variety of Sorghum bicolor) with concentrate mixture as per requirement (ICAR, 1998) whereas in groups T2 and T5 the CP of mustard cake was replaced @ 25% and 50% with azolla meal protein inthe concentrate mixtures C1 and C2 respectively. Average DMI was 3.90, 3.77 and 3.49% of the live BW in groups T,, T2 and T3, respectively. Digestibility of DM and OM was comparable in T, (61.43 and 64.98%) and T2 (59.91 and 62.97%), however, it was higher (P<0.05) than in group T3 (51.57 and 56.51%). The CP digestibility reduced (PO.05) with the gradual inclusion of azolla meal in groups T2 and Tr Although N intake was similar in three experimental groups, the excretion of N through faeces was higher(PO.05) in group Tr N retention as % of N intake was comparable in groups T, and T2 but was higher than that in group T3. It could be concluded that azolla meal could replace mustard oil cake up to 25% on nitrogen equivalent basis without affecting nutrient utilization in Jalauni Iambs.