Feeding economics of sorghum and bamboo leaves silage on crossbred heifers

Introduction

Livestock productivity is heavily dependent on the availability of quality fodder throughout the year. Seasonal scarcity of green fodder necessitates the preservation of forages in the form of silage. Sorghum is widely used for silage making due to its high biomass yield, but its relatively low protein content and high moisture limit its nutritive potential. Bamboo leaves, abundant in many agro-climatic regions, have been identified as a rich source of dry matter, protein, fibre, and minerals, thereby offering potential as a silage ingredient. The present study was undertaken to compare the proximate composition of sorghum and bamboo leaves, evaluate the nutritional profile of silage prepared from their different combinations, and analyze the cost economics of feeding such silages to crossbred heifers

Materials and Methods

Silage preparation

Silages were prepared using three treatments: • T1: 100% Sorghum • T2: 50% Sorghum + 50% Bamboo leaves • T3: 100% Bamboo leaves Jaggery and salt were added as fermentation enhancers and silages were stored in 1-tonne capacity silage bags for ensiling

Proximate composition analysis

The proximate composition of raw ingredients (sorghum, bamboo leaves, jaggery) and prepared silages was analyzed for dry matter (DM), crude protein (CP), crude fibre (CF), ether extract (EE) and total ash using standard AOAC (1995) [1] methods.

Feeding trial and economics

A 90-days feeding trial was conducted on crossbred heifers using the Sorghum silage, Sorghum + Bamboo leaves silage and Bamboo leaves silage. Feed intake was recorded daily and cost analysis included fodder, additives, labour, bagging and transport. [22] , Bhardwaj et al. (2018) [3] , and Divya Sakhare (2020) [5] , confirming bamboo's potential as a mineral and protein rich feedstuff. [9] and Kurade (2024) [6] , suggesting enhanced storability and reduced spoilage risk.

Results and Discussion

Nutritional composition of ingredients

Chemical composition of silage mixtures

Crude protein was maximized in T 2 , indicating a synergistic effect of sorghum and bamboo leaves, consistent with findings by Bhatulkar (2020) [4] . The sharp rise in fibre content in T 3 corroborates reports by Paul et al. (2025) [9] and Mogale (2021) [7] , highlighting bamboo's fibrous nature.

Ether extract was slightly higher in T 3 , aligning with values reported for bamboo-based silages, while total ash content also increased with bamboo inclusion, confirming higher mineral density as noted by Kurade (2024) [6] . Overall, the results demonstrate that bamboo incorporation improved dry matter, fibre and mineral content, with T 2 providing the most balanced nutrient profile. The economics of feeding indicated notable differences among treatments. The total green fodder requirement was 2100 kg per treatment, with sorghum used exclusively in T 1 (2100 kg) and partially in T 2 (1050 kg), while bamboo contributed 1050 kg in T 2 and 2100 kg in T 3 . Daily feed cost was highest in T 1 (Rs. 99.92), followed by T 2 (Rs. 82.14) and T 3 (Rs. 64.36). Over the 90-day trial, total feed costs were Rs. 8992.5, Rs. 7392.5, and Rs. 5792.5 for T 1 , T 2 , and T 3 , respectively, with corresponding costs per kg silage of Rs. 5.55, 4.56, and 3.57. While T 3 proved cheapest, T 2 provided a desirable balance of cost and nutritional advantage, supporting its suitability as an optimal feeding strategy. These findings align with Pande (2019) [8] and Verma (2019) [10] , who also highlighted the importance of balancing cost efficiency with digestibility and performance in silage-based rations.

Economics of feeding

Conclusion

The study demonstrated that bamboo leaves are nutritionally superior to sorghum in terms of protein, fibre, ether extract, and mineral content. Silage prepared with sorghum and bamboo leaves in equal proportion (T 2 ) provided the highest crude protein and balanced nutrient profile, while also reducing feeding costs compared to pure sorghum silage. Bamboo-based silages thus represent a cost-effective and nutritionally viable option for improving fodder availability in crossbred heifer rearing.