Effect of treating sugarcane bagasse with urea and calcium hydroxide on feed intake, digestibility, and rumen fermentation in beef cattle.
Four beef cattle with initial body weight of 283 ± 14 kg were randomly allocated according to a 4 × 4 Latin square design to study on the effect of feeding sugarcane bagasse (SB) treated with urea and/or calcium hydroxide (Ca(OH)2) on feed intake, digestibility, and rumen fermentation. The treatments were as follows: rice straw (RS), untreated SB (SB), 4 % urea-treated SB (SBU), and 2 % urea + 2 % Ca(OH)2-treated SB (SBUC), respectively. The results revealed that cattle fed with SBU and SBUC had higher feed intake and apparent digestibility. Ammonia nitrogen and blood urea nitrogen were increased in cattle fed with SB as roughage source (P < 0.05). Feeding SBU and SBUC to cattle resulted in higher propionic acid and lower acetic acid, acetic to propionic ratio, and methane production (P < 0.05). Moreover, the number of fungi was increased in SBU- and SBUC-fed groups while protozoa population was unchanged. This study concluded that the nutritive value of SB was improved by urea and/or Ca(OH)2 treatment, and feeding treated SB could increase feed intake, digestibility, and rumen fermentation. This study suggested that SB treated with 2 % urea + 2 % Ca(OH)2 could be used as an alternative roughage source for ruminant feeding.
['Gunun|Nirawan|N|', 'Wanapat|Metha|M|', 'Gunun|Pongsatorn|P|', 'Cherdthong|Anusorn|A|', 'Khejornsart|Pichad|P|', 'Kang|Sungchhang|S|']
D000821:Animal Feed D000824:Animal Nutritional Physiological Phenomena D000818:Animals D001823:Body Composition D002126:Calcium Hydroxide D002417:Cattle D002482:Cellulose D005285:Fermentation D000069466:Red Meat D012417:Rumen D031786:Saccharum D014508:Urea
Sugarcane bagasse Urea Calcium hydroxide Digestibility Rumen fermentation