Effect of Supplementation of Different Concentrate Rations on Weight Gain, Milk Yield, and Composition of Cross Bred Buffalo Cows
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Indonesian Center for Animal Science Research and Development (ICARD)
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A field experiment was conducted to evaluate the effect of three concentrate supplements with different metabolizable energy (ME) levels on weight gain, milk yield and composition in milking buffalos. Sixteen Murrah × non-descriptive crossed bred milking cows (720±50kg) were used. Animals in treatment 1 (T1) were fed only with forages while animals in other three treatments were given 90% forages +10 % concentrate. The three treatments were Commercial concentrate feed (T2) (ME (Kcal/kg): 2500 ±0.75), farm made concentrate feed (T3) (ME (Kcal/kg): 2733.25±2.32) and experimental feed (T4) (ME (Kcal/kg): 2933.03±2.15). Experimental design was a Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with four treatments and four replicates. Forage intake was reduced, when feeding concentrate rations with high energy and CP, recording highest reduction with T4 followed by T3 and T2. Significant enhancement (P<0.05) and also highest values of weight gain, milk yield, fat, protein, and solid non-fat were observed with T4. Conclusion can be drawn that, higher milk yield with better composition could be obtained by feeding high energy rations formulated with low cost, locally available ingredients.
Keywords
Energy Supplement; Milk Yield; Buffalo; Weight Gain