Studies on protein degradabilities of feedstuffs in Bangladesh

This experiment was conducted to determine RDP values of locally available feedstuffs that are commonly used in ruminant rations in Bangladesh. Four cattle were fistulated in the rumen for the in situ nylon bag studies. Seventeen different feedstuff sample (9 roughages and 8 concentrates) were evaluated in $4{\times}14cm$ nylon bags and incubated in the rumen for different periods of time (2, 6, 12, 24, 48 and 72 h). The variation in crude protein (CP) contents reflected on the average CP disappearance value throughout the rumen incubation. Soluble fraction (a), insoluble but degradable fraction (b) along with the rate of degradation also varied widely among the various feedstuffs. Under 2% of rumen outflow rate, the percentages of the calculated protein degradabilities of roughages were rice straw, 16.7; maize grass, 70.6; oat grass, 70.8; dhal grass, 71.1; sunhemp, 78.4; napier grass, 62.4; matikalai grass, 72.1; khesarikalai grass, 76.9 and daincha browse, 78.4, respectively. The results in the protein degradabilities (%) in 8% ruminal outflow rate of concentrates were wheat bran, 61.6; rice polish (red), 61.3; rice polish (auto), 30.9; mustard oil cake, 71.8; sesame oil cake, 74.2; coconut oil cake, 57.9; soybean meal, 49.2 and fish meal, 37.9, respectively.