The chemical composition of Ruzi grass hay is
shown in Table 1. As some of hay was refused, the actual
DM consumption was 1.25% and 1.33% of body weight
in Brahman cattle and swamp buffalo, respectively (Table
2). Energy and nitrogen balances on the basis of metabolic body weight in Brahman cattle and swamp buffalo
during the feeding and fasting periods are also shown in
Table 2. The decrease in body weight during the 3-week
trial period tended to be higher in Brahman cattle than in
swamp buffalo (17.5±4.5 kg and 1.0±12.7 kg in Brahman
cattle and swamp buffalo, respectively). Although the
values during feeding period was calculated from actual
measured body weight, the calculation during the fasting
period was based on the body weight estimated from the
one during the feeding period by the division of 1.08 as
suggested by Agricultural Research Council3.