Evaluation of Guar By-products as Replacement of Soybean Meal in Buffaloes

This study was conducted to evaluate the effect of feeding guar churi, guar korma and roasted guar korma as a replacement of soybean meal on rumen fermentation, blood parameters and nutrient utilization. The rumen profile was studied on three rumen fistulated buffaloes using switch over design. For nutrient utilization study, sixteen male buffaloes were divided into 4 groups of 4 animals each. The animals were fed either one of the four i.e. control (Cc), guar korma (TGK), roasted guar korma (TRGK) or guar churi (TGC) based rations containing concentrate mixtures. The concentrate mixture Cc contained 10% soybean meal which was replaced upto 70% in CGK and CRGK and upto 80% in CGC by the guar by-products. The in vitro net gas production (NGP/200 mg) was highest in TGC followed by C, TGK and TRGK. The ME value of the guar by-products was comparable to soybean meal. The acetic, propionic and butyric acid levels in the rumen liquor of TGK were lower (P CC > TGK groups. DMI and digestibility of OM, CP, ADF and NDF digestibility were similar in all the groups. The nitrogen retention was comparable among the groups. Blood glucose was higher in TGK than CC and TRGK where as BUN was lower in CC than TRGK group. The blood glucose, BUN, creatinine, AST, ALT, GGT and cholesterol levels were within the physiological limits. Hence, guar-korma, roasted guar-korma and guar-churi could be added up to 8% replacing soybean meal in the concentrate mixture without any adverse effect on feed intake and nutrient utilization.