GROWTH PERFORMANCE AND ECONOMICS OF RAISING BUFFALO CALVES BY USING PROBIOTICS

Abstract

An experiment was conducted at Livestock Farm, Adhartal, College of Veterinary
Science and A. H., Jabalpur, N.D.V.S.U., Jabalpur (M.P.). Eighteen Murrah buffalo calves were
selected and were divided into 3 groups having 6 calves in each gruop. Group 1 (Control)
was fed with the basal ration, group 2 (T1) was fed with the basal ration with probiotic
(Saccharomyces cerevisiae) @5g/animal/day and the group 3 and (T2) was fed with the
basal ration with probiotic (Saccharomyces cerevisiae+ Lactobacillus sporogenes) @ 5g/
animal/day. Calf starter (22% DCP and 72% TDN) was provided to all the calves. Besides
this, adlib green chaffed fodder was provided to the animals. It was found that calves of the
T2 group showed significantly (p<0.05) higher measurements than control and T1 group. The
daily body weight gain (kg) through entire period of three months were 0.11±0.01 ,0.19±0.01
and 0.16± 0.01 in C, T1 and T2 group, respectively. The mean of fortnightly dry matter intake
(kg) of buffalo calves were 17.05±1.37, 16.66±1.26 and 16.95±1.25 kg in C, T1 and T2 group
respectively and these values are significantly (P<0.05) varied. Overall feed efficiency were
0.14±0.02, 0.24±0.03 and 0.18±0.02 in control, T1 and T2 group and the values differed
significantly (p<0.05). Overall expenditure (Rs.) per kg body weight gain was calculated as
111.06, 66.02 and 70.34 in C, T1 and T2 groups, respectively. From the findings of the present
study it can be concluded that probiotic supplementation alone Saccharomyces cerevisiae or
combination of Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Lactobacillus sporogenes improve average
body weight gain, feed conversion efficiency and various body measurements of Murrah
buffalo calves. Overall rearing cost can be reduced to 40.55% in Saccharomyces cerevisiae
fed group and 36.66% in combination of Lactobacillus sporogenes and Saccharomyces
cerevisiae fed group in comparison to control group.