EFFECT OF PARTIAL REPLACEMENT OF CONCENTRATE WITH UREA-MOLASSES-MINERAL LICK IN GROWING ANIMAL RATION ON GROWTH AND ECONOMICS OF FEEDING

Fifteen Karan-Swiss male calves of 9-12 months of age were divided into three groups of five each in a randomised block design. Animals in group I were fed wheat straw ad lib. and concentrate mixture according to their requirements, while in group II and III the animals were fed with 1/3 of the required concentrate mixture replaced by UMM licks 'Ex' and 'F', respectively. The DMI (kg/day as well as per 100 kg b.wt.) were similar (p > 0.05) among different groups of animals, however, the digestibility of DM as well as OM enhanced from $52.85{\pm}1.48$ to $58.36{\pm}1.89$ and $55.33{\pm}1.48$ to $60.12{\pm}1.75$, respectively. Growth rates of the calves were $533.8{\pm}27.25$, $532.3{\pm}42.24$ and $538.4{\pm}18.68$ g/d in groups I, II and ill (p > 0.05), respectively. Body composition and N balances of the animals were not affected by supplementation of UMM licks, however, protein retention efficiency was higher in group III ($82.57{\pm}2.54$) though nonsignificant. Feed cost/day was reduced from Rs. 7.92 (group I) to Rs. 4.62 (group II) and Rs. 3.44 (group III). Hence, partial replacement of concentrates by UMM licks reduced the cost of feeding of growing calves by 41.7 to 56.6% without affecting the growth performance.