Experiments were conducted on 12 male growing calves of zebu cattle {Bos indicus) and buffalo (Bos bubalis) to study the effect of feeding wheat straw presoaked with water on the voluntary feed intake, digestibility coefficients of nutrients and volatile fatty acid concentration and production. The feed intake was improved significantly (P < 0-05) in both the species as a result of soaking. The digestibility of crude protein and crude fibre was depressed (P < 0-05), whereas the nitrogen-free extract utilization increased significantly {P < 0'01) on soaking of straw. The availability of digestible energy and metabolizable energy was also more as a result of water treatment of wheat straw. The production rates of total volatile fatty acids and acetic acid were higher in both the species fed on water-soaked wheat straw. It is concluded that pre-soaking of wheat straw for 1-2 h with ordinary tap water may give an overall beneficial effect in both zebu and buffalo calves. INTRODUCTIONWheat straw is one of the main roughages used as a cattle feed in many parts of the world. Factors limiting intake and digestibility of wheat straw are the high content of lignin, and its dustiness which makes it unpalatable to animals. In the present experiments attempts were made to increase its palatability by soaking in water, which in turn may result in more feed consumption and improve feed efficiency. The digestibility of nutrients and volatile fatty acid production rates in zebu calves and buffalo calves were estimated.

The quantities of ammonia excreted over a period of 24 h by two prosobranch snails Viviparus bengalensis and Pila globosa were measured a t 30 day intervals t o compare their excretion during the active and dormant phases of their life. The aquatic snail V . bengalensis excreted 0.5-1.0 pmole of ammonia per day and snail throughout the year. The ammonia excretion rate of this snail was 40-50 Oio lower in winter than in the monsoon and summer period. I n the amphibious snail Pila globosa excretion of ammonia was limited t o only four months of its active life i. e. during July-October. Also the rate of ammonia excretion in P. globosa (0.2-0.3 pmole per day and snail) was very low compared with 8. bengalensis.