OVERCOMING THE NUTRITIONAL LIMITATIONS OF RICE STRAW FOR RUMINANTS 1. UREA AMMONIA TREATMENT AND SUPPLEMENTATION WITH RICE BRAN AND GLIRICIDIA FOR LACTATING SURTI BUFFALOES

Fifty-six lactating Surti buffaloes, fed rice straw, were allocated to seven treatment groups as follows: 1. Straw supplemented with 2% urea (SS) + 1.5kg rice bran (RB) 2. Straw treated with 4% urea in an open stack (TS open) 3. TS open + 1.5 kg RB 4. TS open + 3.0 kg RB 5. TS open + 1.5 kg RB + 3.0 kg Gliricidia (Gl) 6. Straw treated with 4% urea in a closed pit (TS closed) 7. TS closed + 1.5 kg RB + 3.0 kg Gl Milk production, butterfat percentage and liveweight gain of cows and calves were measured and tested with analysis of variance. The results are: - The animals on urea treated straw (group 2) had a higher milk production (p<0.05), higher butterfat production (p<0.05) and less liveweight gain loss (p<0.05) than the animals on urea supplemented straw (group 1). Butterfat percentage also increased by treatment, although not significantly (p>0.05). - Increasing levels of rice bran (groups 3 and 4 compared to 2) increased total milk production and milked quantity of butterfat, while butterfat percentage decreased (p < 0.05). - Milk production increased (p <0.05) with extra rice bran added (group 4 compared to 3), but was not affected (p > 0.05) by Gliricidia addition (group 5 compared to 3). Butterfat percentage dropped with extra rice bran supplement (p <0.05). The lack of response to Gliricidia indicated that protein is not limiting in treated straw, or that Gliricidia protein is partly insoluble. - System of treatment had no effect on milk production (p >0.05), while supplementation with 1.5 kg RB and 3.0 kg Gliricidia increased production and caused a lower butterfat percentage (p <0.05) (groups 2, 5, 6 and 7 compared). A significant (p <0.05) interaction treatment system x supplementation was present. It was concluded, that both treatment and supplementation did affect milk production as well as milk composition. Gliricidia addition gave less effect than rice bran, indicating different requirements for starchy substances in the feed. Treatment of straw does not negatively affect butterfat production, it can increase butterfat production and even butterfat percentage.