Performance of breeding male camels fed sole dry moth fodder vis-Ã -vis complete feed blocks

Abstract

The study was conducted to assess the variations in body weight, feed and water intake over a period of 5 months and adequacy of energy, protein and macro-minerals in breeding male camels fed dry moth fodder and complete feed blocks. Eight Jaisalmeri breeding male camels (5–9 years old; 681.13± 20.13 kg BW) were randomally divided into 2 groups of 4 each and were fed dry moth fodder (T1) and complete feed blocks (T2) consisting of dry chaffed guar straw (65.25%), dry chaffed groundnut fodder (20%), molasses (4%), guar churi (6%), wheat bran (4%), mineral mixture (0.25%) and common salt (0.50%) for 147 days. The camels of both the groups showed decrease in body weights and feed intake/100 kg body weight till 3 months after which improvement was observed. The body weight loss was nonsignificantly higher in T1 (7%) than in T2 (3%). During digestibility trial, the daily DMI kg or DMI kg/100 kg BW were observed to be 4.6, 7.86 or 0.73, 1.08 in T1 and T2 respectively. Significantly higher digestibility coefficients of OM, CP and EE were observed in T2 than in T1 camels. Because of higher daily DMI and digestibility coefficients, the intake of DCP and TDN was 206.07 and 85.06% higher in T2 group than T1 group, former being significant. The mineral absorption of Na, K, P was significantly lower in T1 camels while reverse was true for Mg. The study inferred that feeding of complete feed blocks was better for camels in terms of body weight maintenance, energy, protein and minerals utilization.