Replacing Concentrate with Wheat Straw Treated with Urea Molasses and Ensiled with Manure: Effects on Ruminal Characteristics, In Situ Digestion Kinetics and Nitrogen Metabolism of (Report‪)‬

INTRODUCTION The increasing demand for cereal grains and increasing grain prices coupled with the reduction in land for fodder cultivation are severely reducing the nutrient supply for ruminants in developing countries (Shahzad et al., 2010), yet, supply of dry roughages often is abundant for livestock feeding throughout the year (Shahzad et al., 2009a). Because roughages remain in rumen longer due to high concentrations of indigestible fiber and lignin, intake is reduced and this impedes ruminant productivity (Sarwar et al., 2002). Ruminant productivity can be improved by enhancing the nutritive value of low quality crop residues (Shahzad et al., 2009b). Various substances have been tested for treatment of dry roughages. These include urea/ammonia (N[H.sub.3]; Sarwar et al., 1994), alkali (Sarwar et al., 1985; Sarwar et al., 1992; Ali et al., 1993), urea plus corn steep liquor (CSL; Nisa et al., 2004) and organic acids (Sarwar et al., 2004).