title: Effects of Varying Levels of Fungal (Arachniotus sp.) Treated Wheat Straw as an Ingredient of Total Mixed Ration on Growth Performance and Nutrient Digestibility in Nili Ravi Buffalo Calves.
abstract: The study was carried out to explore the effects of replacing wheat straw with fungal treated wheat straw as an ingredient of total mixed ration (TMR) on the growth performance and nutrient digestibility in Nili Ravi buffalo male calves. Fungal treated wheat straw was prepared using Arachniotus sp. Four TMRs were formulated where wheat straw was replaced with 0 (TMR1), 33 (TMR2), 67 (TMR3), and 100% (TMR4) fungal treated wheat straw in TMR. All TMRs were iso-caloric and iso-nitrogenous. The experimental TMRs were randomly assigned to four groups of male calves (n = 6) according to completely randomized design and the experiment continued for four months. The calves fed TMR2 exhibited a significant improve in dry matter intake, average daily weight gain, feed conversion ratio and feed economics compared to other groups. The same group also showed higher digestibility of dry matter, crude protein, neutral-, and acid detergent fibers than those fed on other TMRs. It is concluded that TMR with 33% fungal-treated wheat straw replacement has a potential to give an enhanced growth performance and nutrient digestibility in male Nili Ravi buffalo calves.
authors.affiliation: Department of Livestock Production, University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Lahore 42000, Pakistan .
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Shahzad
authors.affiliation: Department of Livestock Production, University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Lahore 42000, Pakistan .
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Abdullah
authors.affiliation: School of Agriculture, Food & Rural Development, Newcastle University, Newcastle, NE1 7RU, UK .
authors.forename: A S
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Chaudhry
authors.affiliation: Department of Livestock Production, University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Lahore 42000, Pakistan .
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Bhatti
authors.affiliation: Pakistan Agriculture Research Board, Lahore 42000, Pakistan .
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Jabbar
authors.affiliation: Buffalo Research Institute, Pattoki 55300, Pakistan .
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Ahmed
authors.affiliation: Buffalo Research Institute, Pattoki 55300, Pakistan .
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Mehmood
authors.affiliation: Buffalo Research Institute, Pattoki 55300, Pakistan .
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Asim
authors.affiliation: Department of Animal Nutrition, University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Lahore 42000, Pakistan .
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ahmed
authors.affiliation: Department of Livestock Production, University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Lahore 42000, Pakistan .
authors.forename: Z
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Kamran
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Lahore 42000, Pakistan .
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Irshad
authors.affiliation: Department of Livestock Production, University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Lahore 42000, Pakistan .
authors.forename: M N
authors.initials: MN
authors.lastname: Tahir
keywords: Arachniotus sp.; Average Daily Gain; Fungal Treated Wheat Straw; Nili Ravi Buffalo Calves; Total Mixed Ration