Economic evaluation of therapeutic diet formulated for Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) infected crossbred calves

Abstract

The study aimed to evaluate the economics involved in the formulation of a therapeutic diet for Foot and Mouth Disease and its impact on the convalescence period.  The diet had high protein with varied physical forms (mash and cooked form). A total of 22 Holstein Friesian crossbred male calves (10-12 months) were considered in which 4 calves were of Control (CON) and 18 calves of treatment groups. The treatment group animals namely, Therapeutic Diet-1 (TD-1), Therapeutic Diet-2 (TD-2), and Therapeutic Diet-3(TD-3) were infected with the FMD virus. The therapeutic diet was fed to calves in the morning and ad libitum hybrid Napier green fodder in the afternoon. The experiment was carried out for 42days. At the end of the experiment, animals gained 18.73, 19.67, 19.10 and 19.42 kg body weight in CON, TD-1, TD-2 and TD-3 groups respectively. Bodyweight gain between the groups was non-significant. The total cost of feeding inclusive of both therapeutic diet and green fodder was Rs 546.24, 523.43, 521.56 and 509 respectively. Cost per kg body weight gain was calculated as Rs 29.15, 26.61 27.31 and 26.23 respectively. The cost per kg body weight gain was non-significant among the groups. The cost per kg body weight gain was highest in the CON group compared to infected groups. It can be concluded from the present study that during FMD infectious conditions, the therapeutic diet feeding either mash or cooked (with or without CNS) not only helped in regaining the bodyweight quickly but also reduced the feeding and treatment cost.