Effect of feeding forage cactus on growth performance of crossbred heifers
Author(s): KG Raut, MG Mote, DK Deokar and SV Damane
Abstract: The present investigation entitled “Utilization of forage cactus on growth performance of crossbred heifers”, was carried out at Research Cum Development Project (RCDP) on Cattle, Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairy Science, Mahatma Phule Krishi Vidyapeeth, Rahuri, Ahmednagar, Maharashtra, India for the period of 90 days. Twenty crossbred heifers of above eleven months age were selected for the experiment and distributed into four treatments viz., T0 (control), T1 (Concentrate + dry roughages + forage cactus 10% replacing green fodder on DM basis), T2 (Concentrate + dry roughages + forage cactus 20% replacing green fodder on DM basis) and T3 (Concentrate + dry roughages + forage cactus 30% replacing green fodder on DM basis). The feeding trial was conducted for the period of three months. Feed samples and faeces of different treatments were collected and chemically analysed. The nutritive value of forage Cactus was 15.50, 6.60, 1.08, 20.05, 41.17, 15.60 and 78.61 per cent DM, CP, EE, total ash, NFE, CF and IVDMD respectively. The nutritive values of experimental ration ranges between 47.10 to 41.15, 11.33 to 11.67, 3.45 to 2.91, 9.40 to 11.66, 26.63 to 24.83, 49.19 to 48.93 and 62.93 to 64.33 per cent DM, CP, EE, TA, CF, NFE and IVDM in treatment T0 to T3. Average daily feed intake was 11.13, 12.02, 11.51 and 11.35 kg per day whereas average feed intake per 100 kg body weight was 7.69, 7.98, 7.85 and 7.83 kg in T0, T1, T2 and T3, respectively. The daily feed intake (kg) per day per heifer was statistically significant (p<0.05) among different treatment. Daily dry matter intake was 4.29, 4.42, 4.20 and 3.93 kg per day per heifer whereas average DM intake per 100 kg body weight was 2.97, 2.94, 2.87 and 2.72 kg in T0, T1, T2 and T3, respectively. Feed consumption difference due to different treatments were found to be statistically significant (p<0.05). The water intake of heifer per day was significantly (p<0.05) higher in treatment T0 (13.84 lit.) over the rest of treatment i.e. T1, T2 and T3. Weekly water intake of heifer was found to be significantly higher in treatment T0 (96.88) and T1 (86.84) group of heifers than T2 and T3 group of heifers, whereas, the treatment T1 and T2 were at par with each other. This might be due to feeding forage cactus that contained more moisture which was not fed in the T0 group. Significant (p<0.05) effect on the body weight of the crossbred heifers was observed among different treatments. Total body weight (kg) gain per heifer was 36.80, 44.60, 40.20 and 37.80 kg in treatment T0, T1, T2 and T3, respectively. The variation among different treatment groups was found to be significantly (p<0.05) higher in treatment T1. Whereas, treatment T0, T2 and T3 were at par with each other. The average chest girth gain over an experimental period was 8.40, 15.80, 12.00 and 9.00 cm in T0, T1, T2 and T3 treatments, respectively. The variation among different treatment groups was found statistically significant (p<0.05). The chest girth gain was found significantly higher in treatment T1 (15.80 cm) followed by treatment T2, T3 and T0. However, treatment T3 and T0 were at par with each other. The average body length gain was 6.14, 11.59, 10.35, and 7.62 cm for T0, T1, T2 and T3, respectively. The variation among different treatment groups was found statistically significant (p<0.05) for final body length and body length gain. The average body length gain (cm) of heifers was found more in treatment T1 (11.59) and low in T0 (06.14). The average body height gain over an experimental period was 09.00, 11.40, 10.00 and 9.20 for T0, T1, T2 and T3, treatments, respectively. The variation among different treatment groups was found statistically significant (p<0.05). The average body height gain of crossbred heifers was found significantly (p<0.05) higher in T1 (11.40) whereas, treatment T2, T3 and T0 were at par with each other.