Comparison of Nutritive Value in Fodder Species and Industrial By-products Available in Anuradhapura

Abstract

This experiment intended to figure out the nutritive value of fodder species and industrial by-products for feeding ruminants in Anuradhpura. Fodder species; maize (<em>Zea mays</em>), sorghum (<em>Sorghum bicolour</em>), CO-3 (<em>Pennisetum purpureum</em> x <em>P. americanum</em>), gliricidia (<em>Gliricidia</em> <em>sepium</em>), and guinea grass (<em>Panicum maximum</em>) and agro-industrial by-products; rice (<em>Oryza</em> <em>sativa</em>) bran, coconut (<em>Cocos nucifera</em>) poonac, maize (<em>Zea mays</em>) meal and soya bean (<em>Glycine</em> <em>max</em>) meal (SBM) were analyzed for proximate composition, acid detergent fiber (ADF), neutral detergent fiber (NDF) and gross energy (GE). Nitrogen free extract (NFE), total digestible nutrients (TDN) and metabolizable energy (ME) were calculated. The data were analyzed using the one-way ANOVA procedure in SAS. The observed TDN, ME and GE of fodder species differed significantly (p&lt;0.05).The highest (p&lt;0.05) values of dry matter (DM), crude fat(EE), crude protein (CP), TDN, GE and ME were obtained for gliricidia. Guinea grass contained the highest (p&lt;0.05) ADF and NDF contents compared to other fodder species. Sorghum and CO3 showed the highest (p&lt;0.05) ash and crude fiber (CF) while the lowest (p&lt;0.05) ash and CF were recorded in maize and gliricidia. The DM was not significantly differed (p&gt;0.05) in agro-industrial by-products. The highest (p&lt;0.05) total ash, CP, TDN and ME were reported in SBM while NFE was highest in maize meal. The highest (p&lt;0.05) values of EE and GE contents were obtained for rice bran. The nutrient content observed in the feed ingredients in the present study, is in par with other references. According to the nutrient composition, these feed ingredients can be used for feeding ruminants and in the formulation of total mixed rations for dairy cows in Anuradhapura.