Two experiments were conducted to study the degradation characteristics of sugarcane bagasse using 4 castrated crossbred male buffaloes fitted with large ruminal canulae. First experiment was to study the effect of urea treatment and its duration on DM and OM degradation while the second was to study the effect of addition of sulphur on these parameters. Sugarcane bagasse untreated and 4% urea treated and ensiled for 1,4,8 and 12 days (1st expt.) with and without sulphur (2nd expt. ) was used.  Samples were incubated for 0, 8, 16, 24, 48 and 72 h in the rumen of male buffaloes fed para grass(Brachiara brizantha) as the only diet. Degradation characteristics were evaluated by theexponential equation described by McDonald (1981). Urea treatment increased DM degradability from 32% in untreated to above 40% in all urea treated samples. Ensilingduration of more than 4 days did not increase DM degradation. Readily degradable andpotentially degradable fractions were also highest for samples when ensiled for 4 days.Rate of DM degradation (%/h) was from 2.16 to 5.34. When sulphur was added, all theparameters discussed were increased. But 48th h degradability of all urea treatedsamples were close to each other. Degradation of OM was also similar to DM degradation in both the experiments. Since the degradability after 48 h, effective rate ofdegradation, rate of degradation, readily degradable and potentially degradable fractionswere all highest when ensiled for 4 days, it is not necessary to increase the treatmentduration under such condition. However, the rate of degradation was highest whenensiled for  12 days. Addition of sulphur was beneficial in all cases.

Two experiments were conducted to study the degradation characteristics of sugarcane bagasse using 4 castrated crossbred male buffaloes fitted with large ruminal canulae. First experiment was to study the effect of urea treatment and its duration on DM and OM degradation while the second was to study the effect of addition of sulphur on these parameters. Sugarcane bagasse untreated and 4% urea treated and ensiled for 1,4,8 and 12 days (1st expt.) with and without sulphur (2nd expt. ) was used.  Samples were incubated for 0, 8, 16, 24, 48 and 72 h in the rumen of male buffaloes fed para grass(Brachiara brizantha) as the only diet. Degradation characteristics were evaluated by theexponential equation described by McDonald (1981). Urea treatment increased DM degradability from 32% in untreated to above 40% in all urea treated samples. Ensilingduration of more than 4 days did not increase DM degradation. Readily degradable andpotentially degradable fractions were also highest for samples when ensiled for 4 days.Rate of DM degradation (%/h) was from 2.16 to 5.34. When sulphur was added, all theparameters discussed were increased. But 48th h degradability of all urea treatedsamples were close to each other. Degradation of OM was also similar to DM degradation in both the experiments. Since the degradability after 48 h, effective rate ofdegradation, rate of degradation, readily degradable and potentially degradable fractionswere all highest when ensiled for 4 days, it is not necessary to increase the treatmentduration under such condition. However, the rate of degradation was highest whenensiled for  12 days. Addition of sulphur was beneficial in all cases.