Digestibility and nitrogen balance of high- and low-quality forages supplemented with high- and low-protein concentrates fed to two breeds of cattle

An experiment was carried out to compare the digestibility and nitrogen balance of local Red Chittagong (RC) and Holstein cross (Hx) cattle with high- and low-quality forages supplemented with high- and low-quality protein concentrates. The diets were high digestibility German grass with high-protein soybean meal (SBM) (A), high digestibility German grass with low-protein wheat bran (WB) (B), low digestibility rice straw with high-protein SBM (C) and low digestibility rice straw with low-protein WB (D). Each breed was offered the treatments in a 4 x 4 Latin square design. The RC steer has a significantly higher digestibility of all proximate components (except NFE) than Hx. Weight gain and N-balance were same in both of the breeds. High digestibility and high-protein diets showed better results in respect of the digestibility, weight gain and N-balance and the worst result from low digestibility and low protein. The low digestibility and low-protein diet also showed positive weight gain and N-balance. No significant differences were found in dry matter intake, although there is a difference in protein content among treatments.