EFFECT OF FEEDING CHEMICALLY TREATED COTTON SEED CAKE ON FEED INTAKE, GROWTH PERFORMANCE AND BLOOD METABOLITES OF DRY NILI RAVI BUFFALOES

Abstract

An experiment was conducted to investigate the effect of feeding chemically treated cotton seed cake (CSC) on the intake, body condition score, urine pH, and serum mineral concentrations of dry buffaloes. Twenty dry Nili Ravi buffaloes weighing 600 ± 20 kg and of approximately 5 years of age were selected. Animals were divided into five groups having four buffaloes in each group. Dietary treatments based on the concentrate ration were: A) normal concentrate; B) un-treated CSC; C) CSC treated with 0.25% calcium (Ca) propionate; 4) CSC treated with 0.5% Ca propionate, and E) CSC treated with 0.75% Ca propionate. In addition to the concentrate, corn silage and wheat straw were fed at the rate of 2.5 and 0.9% of BW on DM basis, respectively. The CSC had an aflatoxin contamination level of at least 100 ug/kg. The buffaloes fed untreated CSC (Group B) had higher total DMI compared with all other treatment groups. The buffaloes fed either “normal” concentrate (Group A) or CSC treated with 0.75% Ca propionate (Group E) had lower total DMI compared with the other treatment groups. However, average daily gain did not vary between the groups. The feed efficiency was better in group consuming 0.5% treated CSC as compared to other groups. Neither urine pH nor serum Ca, P, K and Na concentrations were affected by the source of concentrate or the treatment of CSC with Ca propionate.