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

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.

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 T₁, T₂, and T₃, respectively. Two types of protein supplements, i.e., Type 1 (Bangladesh Livestock Research Institute-developed) for T₁ and T₂ and Type 2 (prescribed by farmers) for T₃ treatments, were used. All the parameters were analyzed through Statistical Package for the Social Sciences, 20 software.

Dry matter intake (kg, %live weight) was significantly higher in T₁ (2.65), followed by T₂ (2.34) and T₃ (2.00), respectively. The crude protein intake, digestible crude protein intake, and digestible dry matter intake (kg/d) significantly (p < 0.05) differed between T₁ and T₃, but not T₂. The digestibility of acid detergent fiber (65.97) was significantly higher for T₃ than T₁ and T₂ (54.44 and 58.73, respectively). Neutral detergent fiber digestibility of T₃ (70.35) also differed (p < 0.05) with T₁ (60.97) but not T₂ (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 T₂ (7.10) than T₁ (8.35), where T₃ (7.24) was neutral. The significantly (p < 0.001) highest expense [216.37 Bangladesh taka (BDT)/kg gain] was required for T₁, followed by T₂ and T₃ (174.47 and 126.33 BDT/kg gain, respectively). Net profit from T₃ and T₂ (15,877 and 15,175 BDT, respectively) gained significantly (p < 0.05) higher than T₁ (11,265 BDT).

The FCM-based diet was suitable and cost-effective as a buffalo fattening approach.