Vol. 10, Issue 8, Part D (2025)

Author(s): Aishwarya G Rajput, RR Shelke, SD Chavan, SR Shegokar and SP Nage

Abstract: The present investigation was conducted at Livestock Instructional Farm, Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairy Science, Dr. PDKV, Akola, during 2024-2025. During the investigation, eighteen growing crossbred calves were divided into three groups based on nearness of the age and average body weight. The treatment was planned as T₁-Dry roughages (ad lib.) + Green roughages (50% Hybrid Napier + 50% Berseem) + Concentrate, T₂-Dry roughages (ad lib.) + Green roughages (50% Hybrid Napier + 40% Berseem+ 10% Subabul tree leaves) + Concentrate, T₃-Dry roughages (ad lib.) + Green roughages (50% Hybrid Napier + 30% Berseem + 20% Subabul tree leaves) + Concentrate. The results reveled that subabul leaves contain 34.45, 20.67, 16.60, 4.88, 50.45 and 7.5 per cent DM, CP, CF, EE, NFE and ash, respectively. The calves from T₂ (2.20) group consumed more DM than that of T₁ (2.02) and T₃ (2.16) kg/day/calf respectively. The dry matter intake per 100 kg body weight of calf was 3.05, 3.25, 3.16 kg/day/calf for T₁, T₂ and T₃ respectively. The average daily body weight gain of calf was 0.302 kg, 0.309 kg and 0.308 kg per day in T₁, T₂ and T₃ treatment, respectively. The average period weight gain was 36.20 kg, 37.10 kg and 37.05 kg in T₁, T₂ and T₃ treatment. The highest weight gain was recorded in T₂ followed by T₃ and T₁.