Effect of Replacing Grass Silage with Hydroponic Maize Fodder on Nutrient Intake and Digestibility, Rumen Parameters and Blood Metabolites of Weaned Ongole x Brahman Calves

Hydroponic maize fodder (HMF) may replace grass silage as an alternative green forage for ruminants during dry seasons. An in vivo experiment was conducted to investigate the effect of replacing grass silage with HMF on nutrient intake, nutrient digestibility, rumen parameters and blood metabolites of weaned calves. Four weaned Ongole x Brahman calves (BW= 127 +/- 17.45 kg) were fed 70% grass silage + 30% concentrates (G; control), 35% grass silage + 35% HMF + 30% concentrates (GCF1), 17,5% grass silage + 52,5% HMF + 30% concentrates (GCF2), and 70% HMF + 30% concentrates (GCF3) in a 4 x 4 Latin Square Design experiment. Calves fed HMF had lesser total dry matter intake (DMI) (P<0.05), total organic matter intake (OMI), and total crude fibre intake (CFI) compared with calves fed only grass silage. There were no differences (P>0.05) between treatments for total crude protein (CP) intake, dry matter digestibility (DMD), crude protein digestibility (CPD), crude fibre digestibility (CFD), digestible crude fibre intake (DCFI), digestible crude protein intake (DCPI) and ruminal pH. Calves provided HMF in their diet had the greatest (P < 0.05) ammonia -nitrogen (NH3-N) and total volatile fatty acids (TVFA) concentration compared with calves fed only grass silage. There were no differences between treatments (P> 0.05) for the concentration of acetate, propionate, butyrate, iso-butyrate, iso-valerate, blood glucose or blood urea of calves. Hence, hydroponic maize fodder could be used as a replacement for silage to improve the rumen fermentation of weaned Ongole x Brahman calves, although it might decrease the total dry matter intake.