Effect of Varying Dietary Levels of Neutral Detergent Fibre on Feed Intake, Digestibility and Performance of Crossbred Heifers

An experiment was carried out to determine the effect of three level of NDF viz. 58, 61 and 64 per cent in the diet on voluntary intake, digestibility of nutrients and growth rate. Eighteen crossbred heifers (7–11 m, 60–120 kg B.Wt.) were divided into three groups on the basis of age and body weight and fed ad lib on three rations viz. control (T1-green oat); mixed fodder I (T2-green oat and paddy straw in a ratio of 9:1) and mixed fodder II (T3-green oat and paddy straw in a ratio of 7:3). The green oat/mixed fodder was supplemented with a concentrate mixture to fulfill the protein requirements as per NRC recommendations. The voluntary intake of DM, digestible DM, OM and CP (kg/day, kg/100 kg B.Wt.) were higher in group T than T3 and T2. The digestibility of DM, OM, CP, NDF, ADF, hemicellulose and cellulose was significantly (P<0.05) higher in T1 than T3. The average body weight gain was also significantly (P<0.05) higher (370 g/day) in T1 compared to T3 (351 g/day). Increasing NDF levels from 58 to 64 per cent significantly reduced DM digestibility and decreased voluntary intake of fodder and body weight gains of heifers.