Current Journal of Applied Science and Technology

Present experiment was conducted to study the effect of feeding lucerne straw and urea treated wheat straw based TMR (Total Mixed Ration) on nutrients intake, digestibility of nutrients, rumen parameters, rumen microbial protein synthesis and enteric methane emissions in crossbred bullocks. Experiment was conducted on 15 crossbred bullocks for 50 days using Completely Randomized Design. The animals in control group (T₁) were fed TMR with 70% wheat straw and 30% concentrate. The animals in experimental group T₂ were fed TMR with 35% urea treated wheat straw, 35% wheat straw and 30% concentrate whereas, animals in T₃ group were fed TMR with 35% lucerne straw, 35% wheat straw and 30% concentrate. The intakes of nutrients and rumen parameters were not affected by the treatments. Digestibility coefficients of crude protein (CP), ether extract (EE) and hemicellulose (HC) did not differ significantly among the groups. Similarly, digestibility coefficients of dry matter (DM) and nitrogen-free extract (NFE) did not differ significantly between T₁ & T₂ group, and significant reduction was reported in T₃ group. Crude fibre (CF), NDF (neutral detergent fibre), ADF (acid detergent fibre) and cellulose digestibility was significantly higher in T₂ group, whereas significant reduction noted in NDF, ADF and cellulose digestibility in T₃ group, as compared to T₁ group. Rumen microbial protein synthesis improved by 17.22% (p>0.05) in T₂ group, but almost similar value was reported in T₃ group, as compared to control group. Average daily methane emission in T₂ and T₃ group reduced significantly by 16.20% and 17.71%, as compared to T₁ group. The energy loss in the form of methane (CH₄) as % of gross energy intake (GEI) in T₂ and T₃ groups reduced numerically by 11.10% and 15.66% (p>0.05), as compared to T₁ group. Hence, inclusion of urea treated wheat straw and lucerne straw in wheat straw based TMR helped in reducing enteric methane emissions in crossbred bullocks.