Effect of prepartum supplementation of maize and soy lecithin on early lactational performance of cross bred cows
Author(s): Athira Rajan, SK George, K Ally, Sajith Purushothaman, VL Gleeja and MT Dipu
Abstract: A feeding experiment of 145 days was carried out in crossbred cows to assess the effect of supplementation of maize and soy lecithin during late gestation on early lactational performance. Fifteen crossbred dairy cows in eighth month of pregnancy were selected from Cattle Breeding Farm, Thumboormuzhy and were divided into three groups (T1, T2 and T3) of five animals each. Throughout the 145-day experimental period, the animals were fed a diet comprised of concentrate mixture (CP- 20% and TDN- 68%) and green grass (ICAR, 2013). From the eighth month of pregnancy until the time of calving, T2 and T3 was supplemented with maize (500 g/ day) and soy lecithin (210 g/day) respectively maintaining the diets isocaloric. The average body weight of animals remained similar in all the groups throughout the study. Daily dry matter intake was higher only for the maize supplemented group (T2) during gestation and was higher (p< 0.05) for both the supplemented groups (T2and T3) after calving on comparison with T1. Animals in all the three groups showed similar body condition scores throughout the experiment. The number of days from calving to first visible oestrus was similar for T1, T2 and T3. Cost per kg milk production was lower (p< 0.05) for the maize supplemented group compared to control and fat supplemented groups. Study revealed that providing energy supplements in the form of maize and soy lecithin in crossbred cows during the last month of gestation increased the postpartum DMI and maize supplementation lowered the cost of milk production during early lactation.
How to cite this article:
Athira Rajan, SK George, K Ally, Sajith Purushothaman, VL Gleeja, MT Dipu. Effect of prepartum supplementation of maize and soy lecithin on early lactational performance of cross bred cows. Int J Vet Sci Anim Husbandry 2024;9(5):34-38.