Journal of Fisheries & Livestock Production
Open Access

Abstract

The study was undertaken to evaluate the effect of feeding whole sugarcane based ration on the performance of lactating crossbred cows. Twenty lactating cows of average 370 kg body weight were divided in four similar groupsā?? viz. T0, T1, T2 and T3. Control group (T0) was fed on concentrate and green maize as roughage. Animals in groups T1, T2 and T3 groups were fed with concentrate and green chopped whole sugarcane @ 50%, 75% and 100% of total roughage dry matter requirement respectively and remaining roughage DM was provided through jowar kadbi. Experimental feeding was carried out for 180 days. A digestion trial was conducted at the end of experimental feeding. Dry matter digestibility was higher in animals fed solely on whole sugarcane as roughage portion of the diet. Digestibility of crude protein was significantly higher in animals fed 100% whole sugarcane than other groups as well as animals fed jowar kadbi along with whole sugarcane in their ration showed significantly higher CP digestibility when compared to control ration. The DCP and TDN contents were 7.98, 7.57, 7.87, 8.10 and 65.84, 62.67, 65.67, 68.16% in the T0, T1, T2 and T3 diets respectively. There was no adverse effect on nutrient intake and utilization even when 100% whole sugarcane was used in the ration. There was no adverse effect on reproductive performance of crossbred cows. It is therefore concluded that whole sugarcane can be fed solely to lactating cows as source of roughage without adverse effect on production, reproduction performance and nutrient utilization.

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