Effect of Feeding Processed Sweet Sorghum (Sorghum bicolour (L.) moench) Bagasse based Total Mixed Ration on Growth and Chewing Behaviour in Graded Murrah Buffalo Calves

Sweet sorghum bagasse (SSB), a by-product obtained after juice extraction from the stalks of sweet sorghum (Sorghum bicolour (L.) moench) emerging as the new roughage source for ruminants in India. The effect of feeding differently processed SSB based total mixed ration (TMR) on growth and chewing behaviour were studied in 24 graded Murrah buffalo calves distributed randomly into four experimental groups of six animals each in a completely randomized design. Experimental TMR were formulated with SSB and concentrate in 50:50 ratio and processed in to chopped SSB and concentrate (SSBC), mash (SSBM) and expander-extruder pellets (SSBP) and compared with sorghum straw (SS) based TMR formulated in the same roughage to concentrate ratio and processed in to mash form (SSM). Eating, rumination and total chewing time (min/d, min/kg DMI and min/kg NDFI) and number of chews for eating, rumination and total chewing (per d, per kg DMI and per kg NDFI) were higher (P < 0.01) in calves fed SSBC ration and lower (P < 0.01) in SSBP ration and comparable among SSBM and SSM rations. Sorting and selection of ration against large fibrous particles in favour of concentrate portion of the ration was observed in SSBC ration and was not observed in SSBP, SSBM and SSM rations. Higher (P < 0.01) average daily gain (g), lower feed conversion ratio (FCR) and lower (P < 0.05) cost of feeding per kg gain were observed in calves fed SSBP ration, while comparable among SSBC, SSBM and SSM rations. From the results it was inferred that SSBP ration decreased the chewing time by 22 and 16 per cent respectively compared to SSBC and SSBM or SSM rations and sorting behaviour in calves was prevented in SSBP, SSBM and SSM rations compared to SSBC ration. SSBP ration also increased the feed intake and growth rate and decreased the cost/kg weight gain by 16, 14 and 30 per cent in buffalo calves compared to feeding of SSBC, SSBM and SSM rations, respectively.