In vitro dry matter, crude protein, NDF degradability and In vitro gas production of different crop residue based complete feed pellets

AbstractIn vitro dry matter, crude protein, NDF degradability and in vitro gas production (IVGP) of different crop residue based complete feed pellets were evaluated in this experiment. In total, 16 different types of crop residue-based complete feed pellets were prepared by replacing paddy straw at 50, 75 and 100% with wheat straw, soybean straw, gram straw, arhar straw, and groundnut straw from roughage portion by maintaining 70:30 roughage to concentrate ratio. Each of the 16 different complete feed pellets were subjected to in vitro dry matter degradability and in vitro gas production procedures. Among all of the complete feed pellets gram straw based complete feed pellets had a significantly higher dry matter and crude protein degradability. Significantly higher NDF degradability was observed for arhar straw based complete feed pellets, whereas significantly higher IVGP was recorded for groundnut straw based complete feed pellets. Significantly higher DM, CP, NDF degradability and IVGP were found at 100% replacement level. The significantly higher IVGP was observed at 12 to 24 h of incubation. Among all crop residue based complete feed pellets, sole paddy straw based complete feed pellets had significantly lower DM, CP and NDF degradability and IVGP. Results of the present investigation indicated that the gram straw based complete feed pellets have better degradable dry matter and crude protein. However, groundnut straw based complete feed pellets have more fermentable nutrients.