Carbohydrate nitrogen fractionation of certain feeds and their utilization in growing buffaloes fed on total mixed ration

Twelve Murrah reverine buffalo calves (age18-30 months, av.b. wt. 264.6kg)were fed complete diet comprised 59.3 parts (DM basis) wheat straw, 22.30 parts berseem, 10.04 parts mustard-cake and 8.26 parts of wheat bran. All the ingredients of complete diet were analysed for proximate and chemical composition as per cornell net carbohydrate and protein system (CNCPS). In complete feed NPN, ADFIN (PC), true protein (PB2) contents were 7.85,12.30 and 42.31% whereas available fibre (CB2), unavailable fibre (CC) and starch were 53.90,23.43, and 1.96% respectively. Peptide fraction (RDPEP, 310.16g) and fibre fraction (RDCB2,1469.30g) degraded maximally in the rumen. The degradable fraction of protein and carbohydrates predicted from CNCPS model and from nylon bag study were 352.18 vs 268.84 g/day and 2101.62 vs 1297.27 g/day. Digestibility coefficients of DM,OM,CP,NDF and ADF were 56.34,60.16,50.56,50.66,47.94 and 53.75%. TDN(3.06 kg/d) and metabolizable protein (MP,328.43 g/d) as predicted from the model were comparable with the TDN availability, CP(580.80 g/day)and DCP(294.02g/d)intake from the metabolism trial. The result of the present study indicated that CNCPS model can be applied for the prediction of nutrient availability form feeds and forages in total mixed ration feeding system, however, the model needs to be tested further on larger scale in Indian conditions.