Nutritional evaluation of urea molasses multi-nutrient blocks containing agro-industrial wastes in buffaloes

Abstract

The present study was undertaken to formulate and compare the nutritional worth of conventional urea molasses multinutrient block (UMMB) with UMMB containing spent sugar syrup (SSP) from aamla (Phyllanthus emblica) preserve (murabba) industries, sundried waste bread (WB) and/or tomato pomace (TP) in buffaloes. The wheat flour and oil mustard cake in the conventional UMMB were replaced, respectively, with WB and TP on nitrogen basis, while molasses was replaced by SSS on weight by weight basis. The blocks were iso-nitrogenous and iso- caloric as indicated by comparable CP and EE contents in different UMMBs. Male Murrah buffaloes (12; 5–6 yr old; 456.8±5.3 kg body weight) randomly distributed into 3 equal groups were offered either conventional-UMMB, UMMB containing SSS (SSS-UMMB) or UMMB containing SSS, WB and TP (SSS-WB-TP-UMMB) for 45 days. In addition to the respective UMMBs, the animals in all the groups were offered 1 kg conventional concentrate mixture, 5 kg green fodder and 9 kg wheat straw. The daily intake of block varied from 0.49 kg (SSS-UMMB) to 1.08 kg (conventional-UMMB). Simultaneously, each diet was fed to 3 rumen fistulated male buffaloes to assess the impact on rumen metabolites. The DM and water intake, digestibility of nutrients, concentration of rumen metabolites, blood profile, urinary purine derivatives and N-retention were statistically comparable in all the groups. All the animals maintained their body weights. It was concluded that agro-industrial wastes like spent sugar syrup, waste bread and tomato pomace could be incorporated into UMMBs without any adverse effect on palatability, nutrient utilization or health of animals. Above all the preparation of UMMB could be economized and conventional ingredients could be spared for more vulnerable species.