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The experiment was conducted with an intent to know the effect of different farming systems on the growth performance, nutrient digestibility coefficients, reproductive traits, disease incidence, heat stress indices, and cost economics of Nellore sheep. The study includes two parallel trials to prevent the influence of age on heat stress indices (panting score and erythrocyte osmotic fragility (EOF)). One hundred and twenty lambs (60 ram-lambs and 60 ewe-lambs) were allotted in a randomized block design under extensive, semi-intensive, and intensive systems for trial I, whereas trial II include eighteen rams assigned to the three respective farming systems in a completely randomised design. Both, season (summer) and grazing practice increased the panting score and EOF. The heat stress indices were positively correlated (P<0.01) with dry-bulb temperature and temperature-humidity index (THI) and inversely correlated (P<0.01) to relative humidity. Allotting the sheep to intensive system increased (P<0.001) weight gain and average daily gain with higher effect in males compared to females. The parameters of asymptotic weight (A), integration constant (B), and maturation rate were higher for intensive males. The male Nellore lambs had higher asymptotic weight and lower maturity rate than females, irrespective of the rearing system. Intensive sheep revealed a higher dry matter intake, digestibility coefficients, feed conversion ratio. The instantaneous bite mass (IBM) was higher for Commelina benghalensis, while instantaneous bite frequency (IBF), instantaneous intake rate (IIR) were higher for Cyanodon dactylon and amaranthus viridis, respectively. The proportion of intakes were highest for Stylo hemata followed by Cynodon dactylon and Tridax procumbens species. No differences were observed for the weight at puberty, oestrus cycle length, oestrus duration, conception percent, gestation period, and lambing percent in three rearing systems; however, the age at puberty was lower (P<0.001) and the birth weight was higher (P<0.001) for sheep reared under intensive farming system. Highest disease incidence was observed in rainy and winter seasons, particularly in sheep reared under extensive system. The capital expenditure was same for the three rearing systems, while the recurring expenditure was higher for Intensive farming system. The gross income and net income were higher for intensive system on account of higher weight gains. However, the higher returns per rupee of expenditure project the extensive farming as an ideal rearing system for small farmers and entrepreneurs with a low initial capital.

Feeding management in dairy animals is crucial for ensuring optimal production apart from making the farming as a whole, a more sustainable activity. In our study we evaluated the production and environmental effects of two different feeding regimens i.e., one dominated by traditional cottonseed meal (CSM) and other with coated urea (slow release urea - SRU) as a replacement for CSM on dairy buffalo production. The SRU at 2% level was evaluated by conducting two different trials using twelve lactating Murrah buffaloes and four adult Murrah buffalo bulls. Neither diet nor dry period management showed any substantial effect on milk components, intakes, nutrients’ digestibility coefficients, and nutritive values. The SRU diet revealed increased (P < 0.01) rumen pH, ammonia nitrogen, volatile fatty acids, and microbial nitrogen yield, which were interacted with time of post-prandial sampling. The dynamics of nitrogen metabolism revealed unaltered N-based parameters, except for degradable-N intake and serum urea-N at 3 hr post-feeding. The CSM replacements did not influence (P > 0.05) the residual feed intake, but led to an enhanced milk retention efficiency of nitrogen, calcium, and phosphorus contents, thus reducing their impact on soil pollution and eutrophication of water bodies. Despite an unaltered (P > 0.05) enteric methane emission, SRU diets achieved in decreasing manure methane and nitrous oxide emission. Furthermore, the virtual water flow and lifecycle assessment revealed a water sparing effect and low carbon foot print per unit milk production. In summary, the CSM replacements with SRU could achieve an economical and eco-friendly production system from animal nutrition perspective.

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The contemporary environmental-stewardship programmes primarily aimed at curbing the global warming potential by adopting a multidisciplinary approach. Manipulating the feeding strategies has great potential in reducing the environmental footprints of livestock production. This study intends to assess the effect of soybean meal (SBM) replacement with varying levels of coated urea (SRU) on both zoo-technical (nutrient digestibility, heat increment, and physio-biochemical parameters) and environmental attributes. The coated urea was used to replace the SBM at 0, 25, 50, and 75 percent levels. Eight adult rams (43.02 ± 0.76) maintained in a conventional shed were used in a replicated 4 x 4 Latin square design. Not all the physiological parameters viz. rectal temperature, pulse rate, and respiratory rate were affected ( P >0.05)f by varying levels of SRU incorporation. The SRU fed animals had higher ( P <0.05) crude protein digestibility compared to SBM fed animals; however, the replacements did not affect the nutrient digestibility coefficients of DM, OM, NFC, NDF ap , ADF, and hemicellulose components. The SRU did not affect various biochemical parameters such as serum glucose, total protein, albumin, globulin, urea, creatinine, ALT, AST, Ca, P and T3, and T4 levels; however, post-prandial serum urea N (SUN) values showed a diurnal quadratic pattern ( P <0.05) with a dose-dependent relationship. Further, the SBM replacements had no effect on the calcium excretion, while the SRU incorporation decreased the faecal phosphorous content, thereby abating the eutrophication phenomenon. Although the SBM replacements did not affect in vivo water variables and faecal solid fractions, they managed to decrease the land and virtual water requirement along with global warming potential (GWP) of the entire trial. The GWP-perceptual map unveils the fact that replacement of conventional feed ingredients with NPN compounds aids in eco-friendly livestock production. Further, the conjectural analysis of the carbon footprint methodology revealed that agricultural by-products consideration could cause a huge increase in the GWP share of feed consumed, thus compelling the importance of research pertaining to feed production perspective as equal as ruminal methane amelioration.

The aim of the study was to investigate the physical indicators of energy reserves mobilization (ERM) viz., Body weight (BW), Body Condition Score (BCS), altered BW percentage (ABWP) and altered BCS percentage (ABCSP) levels in forty eight dairy buffaloes allotted to three dry period lengths (60 or > 60d; 46 to 60 d; and 30 to 45 d). Hybrid Napier and paddy straw, used as roughage, were supplied together with concentrate mixture; and the buffaloes were fed individually according to their requirements. The mean body weights of the group I, II and III buffaloes were 549.41 ± 4.36, 597.97 ± 6.20, and 584.54 ± 3.84, respectively. The BW, BCS, ABWP, and ABCSP levels were influenced by length of dry period, as well as pre and postpartum periods of the entire experimental study. The BW (kg) and BCS showed an increasing (P<0.01) trend from the day of drying to calving with highest (P<0.05) ABWP and ABCSP in traditional dry period group compared to shortened dry periods. Subsequently, the BW and BCS showed a decreasing trend (P<0.01) from calving to 90 days postpartum with highest (P<0.05) decrease of ABWP and ABCSP in group I. Further, 6% Fat corrected milk (FCM) production had a negative significant (P<0.01) correlation with BCS at 30d postpartum, followed by positive (P<0.05) correlation with BCS and BW at 60 or 90 d postpartum.