Comparitive Nutritional Value of Fresh and Sundried Sugarcane Tops in Buffalo Calves

Ten Surti buffalo calves (10-12m, 210.40±5.64 kg) were randomly divided into two groups of S each and fed either fresh (T1) or sundried (T2) chopped sugarcane tops for 90 days, thereafter a digestion trial was conducted for 7 days period. DM intake in T1 was higher (P<0.01) than in T2. Animals in both groups lost the body weight, however, % body weight loss was lower (P<0.01) in group T1 than in T2. The digestibility of DM, OM, CF and NFE was higher (P<0.01) in group T1 than T2. Fresh and dry sugarcane tops contained 4.09 and 3.56% DCP and 52.92 and 43.42% TIJN, respectively and were unable to meet the nutrient requirement of growing calves, thus there is a need to enrich sugarcane tops by supplementry feeding to meet the requirments of the animal.