Effect of fishmeal and wheat bran diet on the performance of local lactating cows in Bangladesh
1992
Khan, M.A.S. | Dolberg, F. | Akbar, M.A.
Nine local (indigenous) Zebu cows of average body weight 156 kg were used to examine the performance in their first lactation given either fishmeal or wheat bran diets. Fishmeal diet (A) consisted of 11.5 kg urea treated straw, 4 kg green grass and 0.25 kg of fishmeal. This diet contained an estimated 63 MJME, 518 g of rumen degradable protein (RDP) and 146 g of undegraded dietary protein (UDP). The wheat bran diet (B) consisted of 11.6 kg urea treated straw, 4 kg green grass and 0.5 kg wheat bran. This diet contained an estimated 66 MJME, 523 g of RDP and 91 g of UDP. Total dry matter intake of the two diets, A and B were 7.5 and 7.83 kg/d respectively, Therefore, the two diets differed mainly in UDP levels. The experiment began in the 39th week of lactation and continued for 19 weeks. Mean results for cows on diets A and B respectively were: daily milk yield (kg) 0.75 and 0.71, butterfat content (g/kg) 79 and 75, milk protein content (g/kg) 52 and 47, daily weight gain (kg) 0.16 and 0.12. None of the differences between treatments was significant (P0.05). The results of the experiment suggest that replacing fishmeal with wheat bran has a significant effect on the performances of local lactating cows, but biologically it appears to be more effective since all the mean values were higher for the fishmeal diet. The cost of wheat bran diet (USD 0.25/d/cow) was cheaper than that of fishmeal diet (USD 0.31/d/cow) and net return in terms of money by selling milk is slightly higher in wheat bran diet (USD 0.30) than that of fishmeal diet (USD 0.31) in comparison with feed cost.
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