Evaluation of the nutritive value of urea-treated and cotton seed cake supplemented wheat straw

Abstract

Three experiments were conducted to determine the nutritive value of urea with urease enzyme treated; urea without urease enzyme treated and cotton seed cake .supp1emented wheat straw. In experiment I, the effects of 0, 3 and 6% urea with urease enzyme treated wheat straw for 14 and 28 days, at 10 and 45% moisture levels on composition and digestibility were studied. Between 0 and 6% urea treatment CP, IVDMD and in sacco DM degradability of straw were increased (P < 0.05) from 6.4 to 8.9%; from 41.3 to 45.2%; and from 27.3 tb 38.1%; while NDF, ADF, ADL and hemicellulose were reduced (P < 0.05) from 82.1 to 77.7%; from 57.6 to 56.0%; from 7.8 to 7.2%; and from 24.3 to 21.0%, respectively. When the moisture level was raised from 10 to 45%, CP and IVDMD were reduced (P < 0.05) by 1.4 and 3.~ and NDF, ADF and, ADL were increased (P < 0.05) by 1.5, 1.0 and 0.5 percentage units, respectively. Extending treatment time from 14 to 28 days improved (P < 0.05) the DM degradability of the straw. In experiment II, the effect of CSC supplementation to urea without urease enzyme treated wheat straw on DMI and LWG by wether sheep was determined. When urea treated straw was fed the daily straw DMI and LWG of wether sheep were improved (P < 0.05) from 462.9 to 597.1 g; and fro~ a loss of 15;2 g to a gain of 13.7 g. respectively. At 0, 100 and 200 g levels of CSC supplementation, the total DMI and LWG were improved (P < 0.05) from 518.6 g to 644.3 g and 697.0g; and from a loss of 28.9 g to a loss of 1.7 and to a gain of 28.5 g, respectively. Urea treatment and CSC supplementation improved (P < 0.05) the DMI and LWG by wether sheep. In experiment III, the effect of CSC supplementation to urea without urease enzyme treated wheat straw on In ~ digestibility was investigated. Urea treatment improved (P < 0.05) the digestibilities of DM, OM, CP, CF, NDF, hemicellulose and cellulose of straw by 5.1, 6.5, 38.9, 7.5, 7.5, 12.0 and 9.7 percentage units, respectively. Cottonseed cake supplementation improved the digestibility of the diet.