Seventeen male buffalo calves of similar age and body weight were distributed in three groups. There were five animals in group 1 and six each in groups 2 and 3. The calves were supplied three concentrate mixtures, prepared from locally available ration ingredients, along with wheat bhoosa ad libitum and a small quantity of green fodder so as to provide 100, 80 and 60 percent DCP and 106 percent DE (NRC, 1976) in groups 1, 2 and 3 respectively. The actual levels of DCP consumed by the animals, however, worked out to 107.5 +- 0.50, 87.00+-1.63 and 66.00+-2.00 percent of the level recommended by the NRC (1976) in groups 1,2 and 3 respectively. Experimental feeding of animals lasted for a period of about four months and towards the end, when animals had attained an average age of about 24 months, a metabolism trial was conducted. There was no significant difference in the dry matter intake and digestibility of various organic nutrients except crude protein and crude fibre (P0.05). Animals in all the groups showed a high positive retention of nitrogen. The average growth rate recorded in groups 1,2 and 3 was 568.81+-18.37, 489.30+-65.01 and 507.65+-5.79 g per day respectively. Daily growth rate and carcass characteristics did not differ significantly between different groups.

2x2x2 factorial design with the factors of breeds; Murrah x swamp crossbreds and swamp buffaloes, non and feed supplementation, and work and non-work, was used in this study. Sixteen Murrah x swamp crossbreds and 16 swamp buffaloes were randomly allotted into 8 treatment combinations. The study period was 6 nonths; however, the animals in the working groups only started plowing at the beginning of week 5 and finished at the end of the experimental period. It was found that the average daily gain of Murrah x swamp crossbreds was not significantly different from that of swamp buffaloes. With out regard to other factors, the feed supplemented group gained more weight than the non-feed supplemented (P0.01), while the working and non-working groups were not statistically different in growth rate. No interaction among factors was found. For plowing ability, the crossbreds, the non-supplemented and supplemented groups could plow an area of 0.23 rai (0.09 acre) per hour while swamp buffaloes, the non-supplemented and supplemented groups, could plow 0.24 rai (0.10 acre) and 0.30 rai, (0.12 acre) respectively (P0.01). For the speed of plowing, the crossbreds, the non-supplemented and supplemented groups, could travel 40.71 and 48.42 metres per minute, respectively (P0.05) while the swamp buffaloes, the non-supplemented and supplemented groups, could travel at a speed of 43.86 and 53.32 metres per minute, respectively (P0.05). Within the non-feed supplemented groups, crossbred and swamp buffaloes could plow the area of 0.23 rai (0.09 acre) and 0.24 rai (0.10 acre) per hour, respectively (P0.05). Within the feed supplemented groups, the crossbred and swamp buffalo could plow the area of 0.23 rai (0.09 acre) and 0.30 rai (0.12 acre) per hour, respectively (P0.01). As for the speed of plowing, the performance of all the groups was not significantly different, i.e. 40.71, 48.42, 43.86 and 53.32 m/min for crossbred non-supplemented, crossbred supplemented, swamp non-supplemented and swamp supplemented groups, respectively (P0.05). However, the supplemented groups could plow faster than the non-supplemented ones (P0.05).