Researchers compared feeding lambs a diet based on finger millet straw with one based on urea and salt-treated maize cobs. They found that the treated maize cobs had higher gas production and energy density, but lower crude protein compared to the straw. Lambs fed the maize cob diet ate less dry matter but had similar weight gain and feed conversion ratios. The digestibility of most nutrients was similar between the two diets. The study concluded that urea-treated maize cobs can be a good roughage source for feeding small ruminants during times of scarcity.