Scope and cost-effectiveness of fermented corn straw roughage-based buffalo fattening approach

OBJECTIVE: This experiment was undertaken to assess the scope and cost-effectiveness of the fermented corn mixture (FCM)-based buffalo fattening approach compared to urea molasses straw (UMS) and silage-based approach. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A completely comparative randomized design experiment was conducted for 90 days with three treatments and five buffalo bulls in each. UMS, silage, and FCM roughage-based fattening diets were attributed as T(1), T(2), and T(3), respectively. Two types of protein supplements, i.e., Type 1 (Bangladesh Livestock Research Institute-developed) for T(1) and T(2 )and Type 2 (prescribed by farmers) for T(3 )treatments, were used. All the parameters were analyzed through Statistical Package for the Social Sciences, 20 software. RESULTS: Dry matter intake (kg, %live weight) was significantly higher in T(1) (2.65), followed by T(2) (2.34) and T(3) (2.00), respectively. The crude protein intake, digestible crude protein intake, and digestible dry matter intake (kg/d) significantly (p < 0.05) differed between T(1) and T(3), but not T(2). The digestibility of acid detergent fiber (65.97) was significantly higher for T(3) than T(1) and T(2) (54.44 and 58.73, respectively). Neutral detergent fiber digestibility of T(3) (70.35) also differed (p < 0.05) with T(1) (60.97) but not T(2) (64.78). No difference was observed in the case of growth, but feed conversion ration was found to be significantly (p < 0.05) better in T(2) (7.10) than T(1) (8.35), where T(3) (7.24) was neutral. The significantly (p < 0.001) highest expense [216.37 Bangladesh taka (BDT)/kg gain] was required for T(1), followed by T(2) and T(3) (174.47 and 126.33 BDT/kg gain, respectively). Net profit from T(3) and T(2) (15,877 and 15,175 BDT, respectively) gained significantly (p < 0.05) higher than T(1) (11,265 BDT). CONCLUSION: The FCM-based diet was suitable and cost-effective as a buffalo fattening approach.