Effect of Different Levels of Nutrients on Performance of Lactating Malnad Gidda Cows

Abstract

The study was conducted to determine the effect of different levels of nutrients on dry matter intake, nutrient intake, digestibility, milk yield, milk composition and composition yield in lactating Malnad Gidda (MG) cows. Six lactating MG cows (Avg. b.wt; 134 kg; milk yield 1.8 kg/day) were divided into three groups of two cows each in switch over design comprising three periods and allocated one of the following treatments; T₁ fed 100 % of the requirement according to ICAR (2013), T₂ was fed 10 % more than T_1,  T₃ was fed 20 % more than T₁. The experimental cows were offered daily with 2.5 kg paddy straw, 3 kg hybrid napier and CFM  based on roughage intake to meet the requirement. There was a significant difference in body weight and body condition change between the groups. The total DMI in all the groups were similar and the ratio of roughage and CFM of the diet was 52:48, 51:49 and 48:52 in T₁, T₂ and T₃ groups, respectively. There was no significant difference in the nutrients intake and digestibility of nutrients, however all the cows were in positive nitrogen balance and per cent of N-retention was significantly (P<0.01) higher in T₃ followed by T₁ and T₂ groups. The corrected lactometer reading of the milk of experimental cows ranged from 30.49 to 30.85 and 4 % FCM yield (kg/d) was 2.26, 2.27 and 2.44 in T₁, T₂ and T₃ groups, respectively and difference was non-significant. There was no significant difference between groups in the component of the milk and composition yield. It was concluded from this study that Malnad Gidda cows were able to consume maximum dry matter 3.6 to 3.9 per cent of its body weight and feeding for optimum requirement is sufficient to improve body condition score, milk production and optimum milk composition rather than feeding at higher level of nutrients.