The Effect of Roughage and Urea Solution Infusion Levels on Ruminal NH3-N Concentration and Nutrient Digestibility in Beef Cattle and Swamp Buffaloes

Four, fistulated, male crossbred cattle and swamp buffaloes were randomly assigned in a 2 x 2 factorial arrangement in a 4 x 4 Latin square design. There were four combination dietary treatments; T1) UTS as a roughage and urea infusion at 50 g/h/d (50U), T2) UTS as a roughage and urea infusion at 100 g/h/d (100U), T3) CH as a roughage and urea infusion at 50 g/h/d (50U) and T4) CH as a roughage and urea infusion at 100 g/h/d (100U). Rumen fluid and blood were collected at 0, 0.5, 1, 1.5, 2, 3, 4 and 6 h-post feeding and then analyzed for total bacteria and protozoal, NH3-N, VFA and BUN, respectively. It was found that TDMI in buffoloes fed with UTS as a roughage source with both urea solution infusion were highest (P