Effect of complete feeds based on wheat straw and Prosopis juliflora pods on growth and reproductive performance of growing crossbred heifers

Abstract

A growth trial was carried out on 16 crossbred heifers from the age of 9 months to the first conception. Treatments T1, T2 and T3 were the complete feeds with 30% wheat straw. Rice polish was replaced by Prosopis juloflora pods (mesquite pods) at 0, 10 and 20% level, respectively, in T1, T2 and T3. Treatment T4 represented the conventional system of feeding. Average daily gain was 430,416,433 and 383 g, in T1, T2, T3, and T3, respectively, with nonsignificant treatment differences. The average daily intake of DM, CP, DCP and TDN were similar in all the groups which resulted in similar feed efficiency and nutrient utilization. The digestibility coefficients of nutrients were similarly in all the groups except higher digestibility in T4, than T1, T2 and T3. The cost of feed was observed more or less similar in all the groups. The age at first conception was least in T3 followed by T1, T4 and T2. It was concluded that heifers can be reared on complete feed with 30% wheat straw and 20% Prosopis juliflora pods replacing rice polish without any adverse effect on growth and reproduction.