Different Treatments to Improve the Digestibility of Crop Residues | Animal Husbandry & Veterinary Science Optional for UPSC PDF Download

Different Treatments to Improve the Digestibility of Crop Residues

Physical and Chemical Treatments

• Physical Treatments: Various physical treatments have been attempted to enhance the digestibility of crop residues. However, these methods often require specialized equipment and significant power, making them impractical in many Indian agricultural settings.
• Chemical Treatments: Chemical methods primarily involve the use of alkali and steam to enhance the feeding value of low-quality roughages.

• Alkali Treatment: Sodium hydroxide, applied at a rate of 4% by weight of straw, is a commonly used chemical method in India. While it quickly improves the digestibility and palatability of straw, it is expensive, corrosive, and may lead to excess excretion of sodium ions in animal waste.
• Urea Treatment: A more recent approach involves treating moistened straw with urea at a rate of 4% of the dry weight. This method, when ensiled in stacks, releases ammonia that enhances both the digestibility and palatability of the straw, making it nutritionally comparable to green sorghum forage.
• Steam Treatment: Utilizing steam, particularly in sugar factories, can significantly increase the value of agricultural by-products such as bagasse as animal feed. Steam treatment offers advantages such as accessibility and the absence of chemical application.
• Urea-Molasses Blocks: These blocks provide nitrogen to rumen microorganisms, improving straw digestion. Additionally, they supply amino acids that bypass rumen fermentation, aiding absorption in the lower gut of animals. Cattle and buffaloes fed with these blocks exhibit improved health and increased milk production.
• Microbial Treatment: Ongoing research explores the use of microbial action, either alone or in combination with mild chemical treatments, to enhance the nutritional value of crop residues. Certain fungi, like "white-rot," show promise in breaking down barriers in straw that hinder rumen digestion in ruminants.