Effect of different concentrate levels in the ration on meat production from buffalo calves

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Abstract: This study was conducted to investigate the effect of different concentrate levels from 60% concentrate and 40% corn silage (R1), 40% concentrate and 60% corn silage (R2), according to El-Ashry allowances, (1980) compared to the control group (R3), 100% according to Animal Production Research Institute allowances (1997) on productive performances of buffalo calves. Twenty four growing buffalo male calves (about 8.22 month and 178.92 Kg body weight) were allocated randomly and equally to one of three treatments of 8 heads each on the basis of age and weight. The experimental rations consisted of concentrate feed mixture (CFM) as concentrates, whole corn silage, berseem hay and rice straw (as roughage sources).
The results indicated that the digestion coefficients of OM, CF, NFE and TDN value increased significantly (P<0.05) with increasing the level of corn silage in the rations. On the contrary, the digestion coefficients of DM, CP, EE and DCP value decreased significantly (P<0.01) with increasing the level of corn silage in the rations. While, the animals fed (R1 or R2) recorded higher digestibility coefficients values of DM, OM, CF and NFE than those of the control ration. Also, increasing the level of CFM in the rations resulted in decrease in pH value and increased ruminal NH3-N and TVFA values. Average daily DMI nearly lowered with increasing the level of corn silage. However, average daily CP and DCP intake increased (P<0.01) with increasing the level of CFM, but daily TDN intake was increased (P<0.05) with increasing the level of corn silage compared with the control ration. In addition, the concentrations of hemoglobin in blood, total lipids and cholesterol in blood plasma were decreased with increasing the level of CFM. In the opposite, plasma total proteins, albumin, creatinine, GOT, GPT and urea-N concentrations were increased with increasing the level of CFM. Among the experimental groups, it is obvious that the different diets used had no significant effect on all the final body measurements and the highest values (P<0.01) of total and daily gain in all tested body measurements were noticed with animals fed (R3), followed by (R1). While, calves fed on (R2) ration had the lowest values, except for rumen girth, calves fed on (R2) ration had the highest values (P<0.01). Calves fed ration contained 60% concentrate and 40% corn silage recorded the best results concerning daily weight gain, relative daily weight gain and kg DM, CP and DCP / kg gain. However, the calves fed ration contained 40% concentrate and 60% corn silage recorded the best results concerning economic efficiency.
Key words: Buffalo calves, corn silage, nutrient digestibility, daily gain, feed efficiency.

Publication year

2007

Pages

439-452

Availability location

معهد بحوث الانتاج الحيوانى- شارع نادى الصيد- الدقى- الجيزة

Availability number

Organization Name

Animal Production Research Institute (APRI)

serial title

Egyptian Journal of Nutrition and Feeds

ISSN