Effect of Partial Replacement of De-oiled Rice Bran with Red Chilli Cap Powder in Concentrate Mixtures on Nutrient Utilization in Buffalo Bulls

Abstract

A metabolism trial was conducted after 45 days of feeding using twelve graded Murrah buffalo bulls (301.96 ± 6.98 kg) to study the effect of incorporation of red chili cap powder (RCP) in the concentrate mixture on intake and digestibility of nutrients. The buffalo bulls in the control group were fed a basal diet comprising of 5 kg chopped green fodder, 4 kg paddy straw and 1.5 kg concentrate mixture while those in treatment group were fed the same basal diet except that 25 per cent of protein supplied by de-oiled rice bran (DORB) in the concentrate mixture is replaced with RCP. The DMI (kg / 100 kg BW) was similar between the two groups. The average digestibility coefficients of dry matter (DM), organic matter (OM), crude protein (CP), ether extract (EE), crude fibre (CF), nitrogen free extract (NFE), neutral detergent fibre (NDF), acid detergent fibre (ADF), cellulose and hemi-cellulose decreased (P>0.05) with incorporation of RCP in the concentrate mixture of buffalo bulls as compared with the control. The % DCP and TDN contents decreased (P>0.05) with incorporation of RCP in the concentrate mixture as compared to the control. It can be concluded that RCP could replaced about 25 per cent of the protein supplied by DORB in the concentrate mixture of graded Murrah buffalo bulls for maintenance without any adverse effects.