author(s)
GG Sheikh, AM Ganai, FA Sheikh, Shakil A Bhat, Danish Masood, Shabir Mir, Ishfaq Ahmad and Mudasir Ahmad Bhat

abstract
A growth trial of 60 days (March-April) was conducted on 18 male Corriedale sheep at Sheep Research Station, Shuhama, Srinagar (SKUAST-Kashmir), to study the effect of feeding of paddy straw based complete feed without (T0) or with urea molasses (T1) and fibrolytic enzyme mixture (T2) supplementation. Improvement in crude protein and reduction in ADF and NDF content of rice straw by urea molasses and fibrolytic enzyme treatment was observed. Average body weight and average daily gain of animals fed urea-molasses and enzyme treated paddy straw was significantly (P<0.05) higher than control with reduction in cost of feed per animal. Digestibility of dry matter (DM), crude protein (CP), neutral detergent fibre (NDF), acid detergent fibre (ADF) and cellulose digestibility were significantly (P<0.05) higher in animals of T₃ group followed by T₂ and T₁ groups. Haemato-biochemical parameters, Hb (g%) and total protein were found significantly (P<0.05) higher in animals fed enzyme and urea-molasses treated paddy straw (T₃) group than animals of T₁ and T₂ groups. The mean values of TVFA concentrations, total nitrogen and NH₃-N recorded at different hours post feeding were found significantly (P<0.05) higher in treatment groups than that of control; with non-significant difference in the rumen pH, TCA ppt. N (mg/dl) and NPN values of the treatment groups.