Research Reports

Effects of rice straw treated with urea and lime on voluntary feed intake, nutrients digestibility and growth performance in Native cattle

The objectives of this experiment were compare feed intake, nutrients digestibility and growth performance of the cattle when feed by four dietary treatments (Rice straw, RST; Ureatreated rice straw, UTR; Lime-treated rice straw, LTR and Urea and lime-treated rice straw, ULTR). The experiment was carried out at department of Livestock and Fisheries, Faculty of Agriculture, National University of Laos. Sixteen native cattle of about 138 ± 24 kg of body weight according to randomized completely block design, RCBD. All of animal were feed ad libitum of dietary treatments and supplement with concentrate feed 14% CP; 750 g/h/d. The result shown that metabolic intake of RST and UTR not differed significantly, but both of them differed significantly with LTR and ULTR (75.55; 74.93; 52.79 and 55.41 g/d respectively). However, dry meter digestibility of ULTR was highest differed significantly with RST, UTR and LTR (63.29; 61.35; 56.27 and 55.67% respectively). An average daily gain of UTR not differed significantly with RST but significant different with ULTR and LTR (0.24; 0.20; 0.18 and 0.05 kg/d respectively).

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Viengsakoun Napasirth and Bounchanh Maniseng