Effect of sugarcane bagasse xylooligosaccharides on nutrient utilization, growth performance, and rumen attributes in pre-ruminant crossbred calves

Xylan hydrolysate containing xylooligosaccharides (XOS-SCB) extracted from sugarcane bagasse xylan was supplemented and tested for its effects on nutrient digestibility, growth performance, and rumen fermentation in pre-ruminant calves aged 7-10 days. The calves were divided into three groups: Control group fed a basal diet; Inulin group, supplemented with inulin @ 2% of dry matter intake (DMI) along with basal diet; and a XOS-SCB group, receiving XOS @1% DMI along with basal diet. Prebiotic supplementation with XOS-SCB and inulin over the first 50 days, followed by a withdrawal period, did not affect total DMI throughout the trial, except for an increase in forage consumption during the withdrawal phase. While nutrient intake remained unaffected, the digestibility of crude protein and neutral detergent fibre tended to improve. Prebiotic groups showed a trend toward higher weight gain and average daily gain (ADG) during the supplementation period (P = 0.092), and this trend persisted throughout the trial. Feed conversion ratio (FCR) was similar across the groups. Rumen fermentation and microbial quantification study revealed that a reduced rumen pH was observed in both the treatments and no difference was observed for rumen ammonia, lactate (P > 0.05) and short chain fatty acids (P = 0.071) content among the groups, with no change in the population of select microbes except for total bacteria and Prevotella ruminicola which were higher in both the prebiotic groups . Therefore, this study concludes that XOS from sugarcane bagasse is effectively utilized by claves and has the potential to promote growth in pre-ruminant calves by improving nutrient digestibility.