Comparative evaluation of raw and roasted soybean in lactating crossbred cows

An experiment was conducted to evaluate the effect of roasting whole soybean in the local level on their chemical composition, nitrogen fractions, in situ degradability, and feeding performance in crossbred (Karan Swiss and Karan Fries) dairy cows. Twelve lactating crossbred cattle (369.08 ± 17.53 kg body weight) were randomly divided into two groups on the basis of milk yield (10.18 kg/day) and day of calving (89 days) in a randomized block design. Cows were fed green maize fodder and concentrate mixtures with 1 kg raw soybean as fed basis (7.6% of total diet) in the control group, where as roasted soybean replaced raw soybean in the treatment group to make both diets isonitrogenous and isocaloric. The roughage to concentrate ratio was around 55:45 in both diets. The cows were housed in individual byres and fed experimental diet for 90 days. The total dry matter intake per animal in both groups was similar. The digestibility of dry matter, organic matter, crude protein, ether extract, and neutral detergent fiber was comparable in both groups. The average milk production and fat-corrected milk yield per day was similar during the trial. Milk fat, milk protein, and solids not fat content remained unaffected and similar in both groups. All the animals maintained their body weight in both groups. Thus, rumen bypassing of protein fractions at the present method of bypassing did not have the desired level of beneficial effect in medium producing crossbred cows.