DIGESTIBILITY TRIALS ON INDIAN FEEDING STUFFS             185

        4. Rice Straw and green Oats, 13th March 1930 to 29th March 1930.

    The value of adding concentrates to the inefficient Kangra rice straw is clear
from these trials, but it is not possible for the people at present to feed the neces-
sary concentrates. There is, however, a possibility of feeding a certain amount of
green fodder, and in concluding the trials it was thought advisable to obtain some
figures to indicate the effect of adding green oats to rice straw. Oats were selected
because they are grown in the District here and there, although a leguminous fodder
would have been of distinct advantage from the point of view of meeting protein
deficiency. It must be borne in mind that this period ensued after the animals had
been brought into condition by an adequate diet in terms of concentrates.

    In this trial rice straw and green oats were fed in the ratio 1: 3, and it will be
seen from the data given in Table VII that there is now a negative daily nitrogen
balance of roughly 3 grammes or half that of the original period on rice straw alone.
Thus this ratio 1: 3 is too low to bring the ration up to maintenance standard
although it affects considerable improvement on the original straw.

    There is considerable scope for further investigations into the fodders available
in the Kangra District, but it is essential in order to obtain information of the most
reliable kind to carry out these trials in the district itself on the local cattle, for
whereas the observations made during these trials have shown the serious deficiency
of the straw as a staple diet, and the best manner of correcting this deficiency, it is
likely that more exact data would have been obtained under local conditions. It is
hoped that facilities will be forthcoming in the near future to extend this work on
the Kangra cattle.

                                           SUMMARY.

    This preliminary enquiry reveals the fact that rice straw, the staple feed of the
Kangra cattle is deficient in protein, which deficiency can be made good by supple-
menting the ration with concentrates such as maize grain and toria cake, the latter
being more economical from the point of view of protein supply; and to some
extent by a green stuff, such as green oats, when added in the ratio of 1 : 3.

    The extensive use of these concentrates is perhaps out of question at present
for the people in the Kangra Valley where the dietary of people themselves is poor,
but the introduction of a leguminous fodder in the Kangra valley to supplement the
general fodder and protein deficiency is perhaps the easiest way to improve the
present condition of the cattle. This leguminous feed might be used as such and
any surplus made into silage for the winter months.