Effect of Crop Residue Based Complete Feed on Nutrient Intake and Digestibility in Crossbred Calves

The present investigation was undertaken to study the effect of crop residue based complete feed on growth performance, nutrient digestibility in crossbred calves. Eighteen crossbred (HF x Deoni) calves of six to eighteen months were selected and distributed in three groups. In control treatment (T₀), the sorghum straw and concentrate used separately, in T₁ treatment sorghum straw and concentrate used as complete feed whereas in T₃ treatment sorghum and wheat straw in equal proportion (1:1) to form complete feed. The roughages to concentrate ratio in each treatment was maintained at 60:40 proportion. The average DM intake per 100 kg body weight under T₀, T₁ and T₂ treatments were 1.97, 2.00 and 2.02 kg, respectively. The digestibility for DM, CP, EE, CF and NFE under T₂ treatment were 58.64 ± 1.96, 57.24 ± 1.37, 53.21 ± 1.20, 58.64 ± 1.05 and 56.82 ± 1.10 per cent, respectively. The digestibility co-efficient for DM, CP, EE, CF and NFE were non- significant among the groups.