• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.15 no.10
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• pp.1422-1427
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• 2002

Fifteen crossbred cattle bulls of about 22-24 months age (mean body weight ranged from 291.0 to 298.1 kg) were randomly divided into 3 groups of 5 animals following randomized block design. Animals in group 1 were fed concentrate mixture containing wheat bran 97%, mineral mixture 2% and salt 1% plus ad libitum chopped green sugarcane tops (SCT) as a roughage source. Animals in group 2 were fed concentrate mixture containing lentil chuni 97%, mineral mixture 2% and salt 1% while group 3 concentrate contained wheat bran 48.5%, lentil chuni 48.5%, mineral mixture 2% and salt 1% plus ad libitum chopped green SCT to meet their maintenance requirements. During metabolism trial period, the mean total intake and digestibility of DM in groups 1, 2 and 3 was $8.09{\pm}0.41$, $8.41{\pm}0.49$ and $7.86{\pm}0.16kg/d$ and 60.24, 63.24 and 65.05%, respectively. The intake of CP (p<0.05) and EE (p<0.01) was significantly higher in group 2 and group 1, respectively as compared to remaining 2 groups, which were comparable. Digestibility of CP and EE was significantly (p<0.01) higher in group 3 and that of CP was comparable with group 2. The intake and digestibility of total carbohydrates, NDF, ADF, Hemi-cellulose and cellulose were similar among 3 groups. The mean body weight changes in group 1, 2 and 3 were 173.4, 253.4 and 203.4 g/d, respectively, which was significantly (p<0.05) higher in group 2. The total nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) intakes were significantly higher in group 2 and group 1, respectively. The total volatile fatty acids, ammonia-N, trichloro-acetic acid precipitable nitrogen (TCA ppt.-N; p<0.05), total-N concentrations and pH were significantly (p<0.01) higher in group 3, however, pH and TCA ppt.-N was comparable with group 2 and 1, respectively. From the results, it may be deduced that the feeding of chopped green SCT supplemented with a concentrate mixture having both wheat bran (48.5%) and lentil chuni (48.5%) has shown a better performance with respect to intake and digestibility of nutrients and growth as well.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.15 no.5
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• pp.643-649
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• 2002

Availability of feeds and fodder and amount of their intake by large ruminants in eight different agro-ecological zones (AEZ) of Bangladesh were recorded over a year. Roughages such as straw, naturally grown green grass, water hyacinth, tree leaves, legumes and sugarcane tops were the major feedstuffs fed to the large ruminants. Amount of intake of these ingredients differed (p<0.01) across AEZ studied, but did not differ across seasons or farmers' categories (p>0.05) except for green grasses (p<0.01). Byproduct concentrates offered to animals in the studied areas were rice bran, wheat bran and different oil cakes. The amount of intake of concentrates by the animals also differed (p<0.01) across AEZs, but did not differ across seasons or farmers' categories (p>0.05), except for rice bran and wheat bran which differed between season and farm category, and season respectively (p<0.01). The large standard errors of mean indicate that there are wide variations in intake of roughages and concentrates across AEZ's, seasons and farmers' categories and even across days. This further indicates that the feeding practices of large ruminants are largely heterogeneous. In addition to feeding roughage and concentrates, the animals were allowed to graze for six hours a day. Grazing hours also differed (p<0.01) across AEZ, but not by farmers' categories or seasons.