Effect of feeding green fodder in lactating buffaloes: Milk production, economics and methane emission

Abstract

Green fodder is an economic source of nutrients, as compared to concentrate feeds. In view of this, a field study on twenty eight lactating buffaloes was conducted to evaluate the effect of feeding green fodder on milk production, its economy and methane emission. Buffaloes yielding 8.1 kg milk/ day were divided in two groups of 14 each, based on milk yield, fat% and stage of lactation. Buffaloes in control group were fed balanced ration prepared with concentrate and dry roughage @ 31:69, whereas buffaloes in experimental group were fed concentrate, dry roughage and green fodder @ 20:56:24 for 40 days. Methane emission was measured using sulphur hexafluoride tracer technique. Milk yield and its composition was similar, whereas, average daily feeding cost and cost of milk production reduced (P<0.05) by 12.70 and 13.25%, respectively in buffaloes fed green fodder, hence net daily income of the farmers was increased (P<0.05) by Rs. 31.00 per buffalo. Microbial nitrogen supply increased (P>0.05) by 9.83%, whereas, faecal nitrogen content reduced (P<0.05) by 11.91% in experimental buffaloes. Methane emission in terms of g/d and g/kg fat corrected milk reduced (P>0.05) by 9.78 and 12.02%, respectively in buffaloes under experimental group. The elevated levels of immunoglobulin IgG (19.81 vs. 22.15; P<0.05) implies improved humoral immune response in buffaloes fed green fodder. In the present study, green fodder based balanced rations was found to be an economical and environmental friendly, as compared to feeding only concentrate and dry roughage based balanced rations in lactating buffaloes.