Managmental studies of different liquid feeding regimes for Nili-Ravi buffalo calves

Articles in Press

Document Type : Short communication

Authors

• Ray Adil Quddus ¹
• Asfand Yar Khan ²
• Muhammad Muneeb ²

¹ Department of Livestock Management, University of Veterinary & Animal Sciences Lahore, Pakistan

² Faculty of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Gomal University, Dera Ismail Khan, Pakistan

10.22067/ijvst.2025.92908.1494

Abstract

A liquid feeding trial was carried out at the Dairy Animals Training and Research Centre, UVAS Ravi Campus, Pattoki, to explore effective methods for rearing Nili-Ravi buffalo calves using alternative feeding sources. Twenty-four (n=24) buffalo calves were divided into three groups, with eight calves in each group, and fed for 90 days. The feeding regimes included Whole Milk (WM), Milk Replacer-Vegetable Protein (MR-VP), and Milk Replacer-Milk Protein (MR-MP), following a Completely Randomized Design. Data on daily dry matter intake, weekly weight gain, feed efficiency, fecal score and linear body measurements was collected and analyzed accordingly. Mean daily dry matter intake was significantly (P<0.001) higher (991.89±331.41gm) in calves on WM and lowest in calves raised on milk replacer (833.07±297.64 gm) diet. Mean daily weight gain in buffalo calves on WM, MR-VP and MR-MP was 227.18±88.04, 135.34±47.17, 189.72±86.99gm, respectively. Feed efficiency in calves on MR-VP was best (0.23±0.08) as compared to calves raised on WM and MR-MP. The daily fecal score in calves on MR-VP was high (1.75±0.10) followed by MR-MP (1.70±0.16) and WM treatment (1.58±0.16), however statistically non-significant (P>0.05) difference among treatments. Body measurement (height at withers, body length and heart girth) data indicated a significant (P<0.05) difference between treatments. The results suggested mass scale use of milk replacer–vegetable protein source as an alternate to costly whole milk and furthermore, there is need to further investigate the indigenous milk replacers to make it more efficient and easily accessible to local farming community.

Keywords

• Dry matter intake
• linear body measurements
• milk replacer
• Nili-Ravi buffalo calves
• weight gain
• whole milk

Main Subjects

• Large animal internal medicine

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