No abstract

A 2 x 3 factorial design was used to study the impact of rearing systems, individual (I) versus group (G) and different levels of milk/skim milk feeding (F1, F2 and F3) on hemato-biochemical profile, disease incidence and average daily gain of crossbred (Bos indicus x Bos taurus) calves. Six calves were taken in each group on the basis of their birth weight and housed in individual (2.20 x 1.16 m(2)/calf) or in group pens (2.20 x 1.03 m(2)/calf). After 3 days of colostrum feeding, calves were allocated to one of three different milk feeding schedules: milk fed up to 8 weeks of age (F1), milk up to 4 weeks followed by 50% replacement by skim milk up to 6 weeks and 100% thereafter (F2) and 100% replacement of milk with skim milk after 4 weeks (F3). Calf starter and cereal green fodders were fed ad libitum from the second week of age and continued for 14 weeks. Parameters on health and disease profiles of calves (disease incidence, duration of illness, response to treatment and recovery) and weekly live weight change were recorded. Calf scour predominated (52.8%), followed by joint ill (25.0%) and respiratory infections (19.4%). The disease incidence was greater (P < 0.01) in individually housed calves (94.4 vs. 55.9%). The management of navel ill required longer recovery (7.01 days) followed by joint ill (4.87 days) and respiratory infection (4.86 days). The average daily gain during 0-14 weeks of age was higher (P < 0.01) in group-housed calves (433 +/- 22 vs. 355 +/- 31 g), while the effect of feeding was not significant. Blood samples collected at 4, 8 and 14 weeks of age showed some periodic higher concentrations (but within normal range) of plasma urea and total protein in group housed calves on F2 and F3 feeding schedules in response to high protein intake. Other parameters remained non-significantly different. Thus, group-housed calves can be reared successfully with comparatively better performance and less illness than individually housed ones under the present health care and housing management system. However, the system should not be used as a substitute for good management, and frequent observations of calves should be an integral part of any successful rearing program.

A study was conducted from June to September 2004 to evaluate the effect of sprinkling and fan on the biochemical and hormonal responses of buffalo heifers. Eighteen Murrah buffalo heifers between 15 and 30 months of age were divided into three equal groups on the basis of body weight viz. T 1 Á Control without fan and sprinkling, T 2 Á provided with only fan and T 3 Á provided with fan and sprinkling. Among haematological parameters, only haemoglobin differed significantly (PB0.01) among treatment groups. All the biochemical parameters viz. blood glucose, protein, albumin, globulin, sodium and potassium differed significantly (PB0.05) among the groups. Among the enzymatic and hormonal parameters, only cortisol differed significantly (PB0.05) between treatment groups and was higher in T 1 than T 2 and T 3 . It was concluded that provision of sprinkling and fan provided comfortable environment to the buffalo heifers which was evident through the biochemical and hormonal responses.

A 2×3 factorial design was used to study the impact of rearing systems, individual (I) vs. group (G) and different levels of milk/skim milk feeding (three schedules, F1, F2 and F3) on performance of crossbred (Bos indicus × Bos taurus) calves. Six calves (three from each sex) were taken in each group on the basis of their birth weight. All the calves were fed colostrum for three days and thereafter, were allotted to three different milk feeding schedules (F), i.e. milk fed upto 8 weeks of age (F1), milk upto 4 weeks followed by 50% (F2) and 100% (F3) replacement of milk with skim milk in the next 4 weeks. Calf starter and cereal green fodder were fed ad libitum to all the calves beginning from second week of age. A digestibility trial was conducted at 15th week of age to assess nutrient utilization during postweaning period. The digestibilty of dry matter (DM), organic matter, total carbohydrate, ether extract and crude protein (CP) were nonsignificant between the rearing systems and the feeding schedules. There was significantly higher digestibility of NDF and ADF in G than I and in F3 than F1 and F2. The concentration CP and total digestible nutrients of the diet ranged from 17.18 to 17.75% and 66.32 to 70.14%, respectively. The DM intake (kg/100 kg body weight) ranged from 1.74 to 2.14 kg during 0 to 8 weeks and 3.19 to 3.41 kg during 0 to 14 weeks of age. The effects during postweaning phase (9-14 weeks of age) showed increased performance in group housed calves compared to individually housed ones with a superior average daily gain (590 vs. 443 g) and dry matter intake (1.79 vs. 1.64 kg). Above all, replacement of milk with skim milk at 50% level after 4th week followed by complete removal after 6th week of age (F2) seemed to suit better in coping with immediate energy starvation due to sole feeding of skim milk (F3) and they performed the best under group housed system of rearing.

The effects of pre-partum feeding management in terms of birth weight, growth, metabolic profile and immunity of calves were studied using 24 crossbred (Bos taurus×Bos indicus) cows, divided into three equal groups. The dietary treatments included feeding of either 3.0 kg concentrate/head/d throughout the 60 d pre-partum (T 1 ), or 3.0 kg concentrate during 60-22 d pre-partum and thereafter at an increased allowance at 0.25 kg/d during the next 21 d till it reached 1% of live weight (T 2 ). The third group of cows was fed similar to T 2 , except that the concentrate feeding during 60-22 d pre-partum was reduced to 2.0 kg (T 3 ). All the groups had access to ad libitum green fodder throughout. The results revealed that the mean daily dry matter (DM) intake by the cows was similar (p>0.05) among the three groups during the 60 days of the pre-partum but T2 animals tended to gain more live weight (41.25 kg) than T 1 (38.12 kg) and T 3 (36.25 kg). The body condition score of the cows did not change appreciably over the experimental period. The mean birth weight of the calves was 24.00±1.10, 24.63±1.17 and 23.25±1.19 kg for the three groups, respectively, with the corresponding average daily gain of 154.2, 155.0 and 169.7 g during the subsequent 60 days; both these parameters did not vary significantly ascribable to prepartum feeding regimens of their dams. The total immunoglobulin (Ig) concentration in the colostrum was 6.31±0.34, 5.80±0.21 and 6.13±0.30 g/dl for the three groups, respectively, showing no influence of dietary treatments. The mean serum Ig levels (T 1 2.10±0.09, T 2 2.05±0.09 and T 3 2.10±0.12 g/dl) of calves at 5 d of age were similar among the dietary groups as was the case with various serum biochemical constituents. It is concluded that the variations in pre-partum dietary management elicited no significant influence on the calf performance including the immune status.

An attempt was made to analyze the factors affecting mating performance of rams in pen mating systems. Due to many types of social interactions, mating performance of rams may decrease or increase. Six intact Muzaffarnagari rams were used and divided into three dominant subordinate pairs by food and ewe competition test. For dominant rams subordinate ram became competitor and vice versa. In the first experiment, ram was exposed to ewe but the competitor ram was kept outside the pen with the facility of visibility only. In the second experiment each ram was exposed to ewe along with the competitor ram and in third experiment ram was exposed to ewes (two) along with competitor ram in observation pen. Recordings of different mating and agonistic behaviour were done in all the experiments. It was found that subordinate ram's mating behaviour was inhibited by mere presence of a dominant ram out side without physical contact. However, when ram exposed to oestrus ewe(s) along with competitor ram, both dominant and subordinate rams spent much of their time in guarding activities instead of mating. In addition dominant ram tried to curtail the subordinate ram mating by agonistic interaction like fight and butting. Different guarding activities were observed either as active or passive type depending on level of dominanace. It was concluded that in a limited space the interaction of two or more rams might affect the number of services adversely.

An experiment was conducted to compare the effects of two times and three times daily milking frequencies on feed intake, body weight and haemato-biochemical changes in crossbred cows. Twenty-four cows of second to fourth parity were distributed into two groups on the basis of genetic makeup and parity. The cows of control group (T1) were hand milked twice a day with 12 hours interval and of the other group (T2) thrice daily with 8 hours interval. All the animals were housed under tie stall system of housing. The parameters were recorded from 7th to 104th day of lactation on individual animal. No significant difference was observed for total dry matter intake between the groups. The gain in body weight per cow was 20.00 and 8.75 kg in T1 and T2, respectively without significant difference. Body condition score change was 0.02 and (0.06 units in cows of T1 and T2, respectively. Haemoglobin, packed cell volume, albumin, calcium and T 3 values were found significantly (PB0.05) higher in T1 than in T2. It is concluded that more frequently milked cows produced more milk at the cost of their body reserves, expressed by their comparative poor body condition, and had lower values of some blood metabolites.

N.N. 1996. Growth and nutrient digestibility of preruminant calves on grain replaced calf starter. J. Appl. Anim. Res., 9: 176-180. ltventy four cmssbred female mlves were divided into 3 groups to find out impact of grain replaced diets on growth performance and nutrient d&eatibility during their prerurninant life (0-13 weeks). Three isonitropozu starter die& wntaining 50, 0 and 25 per cent maize alongwith green fodder (berseem) were fed ad libitum and whde milk feeding was discontinued at 9 weeks of age. There were no signij7.int inter group differences i n DM intake, body weight gain, feed conversion fll.iencey, dry matterlorganic matter djgeatibility and wst per unit gain. It i s concluded that a grainless calf starter with a good quality fodder can sustain early growth in d u e s .