Effects of Replacement of Wheat Straw with Corn Stover Based TMR on Growth Performance, Behavioural Characteristics, selected Blood Metabolites and Nutrient Digestibility in Beetal Bucks.

An experiment was executed to determine the effects of replacing wheat straw with corn stover on growth performance, behavioural characteristics, blood metabolites and nutrient digestibility in Beetal bucks. A total of twenty four Beetal bucks were assigned randomly to one of three treatment groups, having eight animals each, for 15 weeks experimental period. The dietary treatments included conventional (25% wheat straw and 75% concentrate), corn stover 50 (Fifty percent of wheat straw (12.5%) was replaced with corn stover, and corn stover 100 (Wheat straw was completely replaced with corn stover). Dietary replacement of wheat straw with corn stover has resulted in an increased dry matter intake and average daily gain by 10 and 26%, respectively in the bucks. Rumen pH and fecal score, however, remained unaffected by dietary replacement of wheat straw with corn stover in the bucks. The replacement of wheat straw with corn stover has resulted in an increased feeding and rumination time, improved lying time and length and decreased number of bouts in the bucks. Blood glucose, urea, bilirubin and calcium levels were remained unaffected by replacing wheat straw with corn stover. The blood phosphorous level, however, was decreased in bucks fed corn stover based ration. The bucks fed corn stover based ration has resulted in an increased digestibility of nutrients including organic matter, crude protein, neutral and acid detergent fiber compared to those fed wheat straw based total mixed ration.