FEEDING FODDER BEET FOR GROWING BUFFALO CALVES | ||
| Journal of Animal and Poultry Production | ||
| Article 2, Volume 33, Issue 6, June 2008, Pages 4011-4021 PDF (668.38 K) | ||
| Document Type: Original Article | ||
| DOI: 10.21608/jappmu.2008.218012 | ||
| Author | ||
| A. M. Mansour, | ||
| Animal Production Department, Faculty of Agriculture, Ain Shams University, Cairo, Egypt. | ||
| Abstract | ||
| Twelve growing buffalo calves with an average weight of 121.7 Kg were divided randomly into three similar groups (four animals each). Each group was assigned randomly to one of the following three dietary treatments : Control ration C {70% concentrate feed mixture CFM+30% rice straw), fodder beet ration, FB {52.5% CFM+17.5 fodder beet+30% rice straw} and fodder beet silage ration , FBS {52.5% CFM+17.5 fodder beet silage +30% rice straw) on DM basis. The experiment was extended for 90 days. The results showed that animals received fodder beet ration (FB) recorded the highest values of all nutrients digestibility followed by fodder beet silage ration (FBS) treated animals. FB treated group had significant (P<0.05) increases in OMD, CPD and NFED, while FBS treated group had the highest values in CFD (P<0.05). FBS group had the lowest value of ruminal pH followed by FB group then the control group. FB group recorded the highest TVFA’s value at 4hr post feeding (11.91 Meq/100ml.) followed by FBS group (11.84 Meq/100ml.) then control group (10.13 Meq/100ml.) . FB and FBS groups had none significantly higher TN values than control group whereas, fodder beet treatments decreased ruminal NPN and NH3-N compare with control group. Results also, indicated that fodder beet groups (FB and FBS) recorded the highest (P<0.05) values of ruminal true protein nitrogen (TPN) concentration (53.2 and 51.5 Mg/100ml) compared to control group (44.9 mg/100ml). Blood serum parameters of FB treated group had highest values of serum TP, Albumin, A /G ratio and glucose, then FBS group had higher values of serum TP, Albumin, A /G ratio and glucose than those of control, however, a significantly (P<0.05) higher values was detected for only the serum Albumin and A /G ratio. The treatment with fodder beet either fresh or silage did not affect the serum transaminase enzymes concentration in growing buffalo calves. Calves fed FB ration recorded the highest value (p < .05) of daily gain (0.708 kg) followed by calves fed FBS ration (0.679 kg), and then control group (0.632 kg). Fodder beet treated group showed more efficient feed conversion values of DM and CP (7.37 kg and 814.5 gm / kg LBW, respectively), followed by fodder beet silage treated animals (7.66 kg and 835.8 gm / kg LBW, resp.) then, control group (8.23kg and 973.1 gm / kg LBW, resp.). | ||
| Keywords | ||
| Fodder beet; silage; digestibility; rumen parameters; blood parameters; performance; buffalo calves | ||
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