The cakes were processed with the
composite: molasses (75.3% DM; 7.5% ash and
11% CP): 30%, urea: 10%, rice bran (88.2% DM;
7.3% ash and 12.8% CP): 50%, lime powder (85%
DM): 8%, salt: 1%, premix: 1%. The ingredients
were well mixed and then put in wooden moulds
(cakesize was 20x10x6 cm) as used for brick
making, strongly pressed then dried at 60oC for 18
h.
Animals and feeding
The study used 27 female swamp buffaloes
(Bubalus bubalis) with an average body weight of
331 kgand and age range from 20 to 27 months
and 27 female local yellow cattle (Bos indicus)
with an average body weight of 144 kg and an age
range from 18 to 25 months. Animals were kept
in individual places inside an animal house. Rice
straw (90.3% DM; 6.6% CP and 12.5% ash) was
given at 50 g dry matter per kg M0·75 to the animals
at 8 a.m. and they were observed to ensure that they
ate it all. The animals had access to drinking water
ad libitum. At 5 p.m., the cakes after weighing
were split into smaller pieces and were given to
the animal in buckets away from water and animal
urine or waste, but frequently checked to see if
the cakes had fallen out or If more were needed.
Uneaten feed was collected for calculation of intake
at 7 a.m.