Abstract
The objective of present experiment was aimed to investigate the effect of roughage sources and fibrolytic enzyme supplementation on feed intake, nutrient digestion and rumen fermentation. Four rumen fistulated buffalo bulls about 3.7 years old with average initial BW of 430 +/- 25 kg were used in a 2x2 Latin square design. Buffaloes were received rice straw (RS) or urea-treated rice straw (UTS) with or without fibrolytic supplementation. Fibrolytic enzyme supplementation was added on top of concentrate diet. Concentrate diet was offered at 1.5% BW. Roughage was fully supplied. Roughage and total intakes expressed as kgDM/d, %BW and g/kgBW(0.75) were significantly difference (P<0.05) among treatments. Rumen parameters were altered by the roughage sources. Buffalo fed UTS was better in rumen fermentation end products than in buffalo fed RS. Enzyme supplementation was increased (P<0.05) both total and roughage intakes. Concentrate intake was similar among treatments. Based on the experiment data, it can be concluded that supplemental fibrolytic enzyme in buffalo diet improves feed intake, nutrient digestion and rumen fermentation end products particularly when roughage source is a low quality roughage.