ORIGINAL PAPER
Influence of anaerobic fungal administration on
growth, rumen fermentation and nutrient digestion
in female buffalo calves
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1
National Dairy Research Institute,
Dairy Cattle Nutrition Division,
Karnal -132 001, India
2
National Dairy Research Institute,
Dairy Microbiology Division,
Karnal -132 001, India
Publication date: 2008-10-27
Corresponding author
J. P. Sehgal
National Dairy Research Institute,
Dairy Cattle Nutrition Division,
Karnal -132 001, India
J. Anim. Feed Sci. 2008;17(4):510-518
KEYWORDS
ABSTRACT
The study was carried out on the effect of administration of anaerobic fungi Neocallimastix sp.
GR1 on feed intake, growth, ruminal fermentation, rumen microbial population and nutrient digestion
in female Murrah buffalo calves (5 to 8 months of age) for a period of 90 days. In fungus-fed calves
(250 ml broth @ ≈106 tfu/ ml; every 4th day), a considerable increase in daily weight gains (140 g)
and better feed efficiency of total mixed ration (3.61% units) were found when compared with control
calves. Besides, the digestibility of dry matter, crude protein, neutral detergent fibre and acid detergent
fibre were also higher (P≤0.05) in fungus-fed calves. The digestible energy of total mixed ration in
terms of total digestible nutrients was also enhanced. The pH and NH3-N of rumen liquor were found to
be lowered, whereas total-N, tricarboxylic acid precipitable-N and total volatile fatty acids and number
of zoospore/ml were higher. Hence, the present study suggests that rumen fungi Neocallimastix sp.
could be exploited as direct-fed microbials for domesticated ruminants to improve the nutritive value
of straw based diets.
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