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19992
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Subject: Livestock Production and Management × End date: 1999 × Start date: 1999 × Thesis Type: M.V.Sc. ×
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    ThesisItemOpen Access
    Feeding techniques to enhance the growth in calves
    (Department of Livestock Production and Management, College of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Mannuthy, 1999) Reny, K Oommen; KAU; Thomas, C K
    With the objective of investigating the feasibility of the technique of liquid feeding of concentrates to calves through nipple buckets with and with out incorporation of blood meal in the ration, 24 calves below one month of age at Cattle Breeding Farm Thumburmuzhy, Kerala Agricultural university were randomly allotted to four treatment groups. The four treatment groups were Tl - dry feeding and no supplementation of blood meal. Tz - dry feeding and supplementation with blood meal T3 - liquid feeding and no supplementation with blood meal. T. - liquid feeding .and supplementation with blood meal. The dry feeding groups were offered feed in feeding baskets and the same feed suspended in water was fed to liquid feeding groups through feeding nipples fixed on aluminium buckets. The experiment was conducted during the months of April to September, 1997 where the temperature Humidity Index values were above 75 per cent indicating a stressful environment due to the combined effect of high temperature and high humidity which adversely affected the growth of calves in all four treatment groups. Intakes of water, concentrate and roughage were not significantly different between treatment groups but liquid feeding group showed a slightly higher trend on water intake. There was no significant difference between treatment groups in terms of live weight gain, body length, height and chest girth. But the general trend varied for live weight and chest girth. Body weights were lower in T) and T4 groups where liquid feeding was resorted to. The dry feeding group had better chest girth than liquid feeding group which reflected in their live weight gain also. Monthly values of haematocrit, haemoglobin, erythrocyte sedimentation rate, serum glucose, serum cholesterol and plasma protein were not significantly different between treatment groups. But treatment groups receiving blood meal showed slightly higher haemoglobin per cent. The plasma protein values were slightly higher in groups receiving ration in dry form which had a higher daily weight gain. Treatment groups on liquid diet had more episodes of diarrhea than those on dry diet. Treatment groups showed no significant difference with regard to carcass characteristics but the trend indicated higher meat yield from groups receiving dry feed. Only during the last two months, i.e., in the fifth and sixth months when the rumen is somewhat fully developed, some beneficial effect of liquid mode of feeding was evident. Liquid feeding through nipple is known to bypass rumen and in animals with ill developed ~umen, liquid feeding should show beneficial effects on growth. In the present 'study such a difference could not be observed possibly due to the fact that all the rations contained fish meal which has high content of protein escaping rumen degradation. The level of 30 per cent replacement of protein by blood meal showed no retardation in feed intake or growth in the experimental animals.
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    ThesisItemOpen Access
    Heat stress alleviating measures for crossbred cows
    (Department of Livestock Production Management, College of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Mannuthy, 1999) Thirumurugan, P; KAU; Saseendran, P C
    An experiment was conducted to find the effect of sprinkling water on crossbred cows during summer season oKerala. Twelve early lactating crossbred cows were selected and put into four groups of three each and were randomly allotted to four treatments as open house with sprinkler (T1), open house without sprinkler (T2), tie-barn with sprinkler (T3) and tie-barn without sprinkler (T4). The mean maximum temperature recorded in the T1, T2, T3 and T4 locations were 32.03, 32.17, 33.27 and 33.40oC respectively and these were lower than the maximum temperature recorded outside the animal houses (35.45oC). Both within the tie-barn and within the open house, the mean maximum and minimum temperatures and mean relative humidity morning and afternoon did not differ significantly due to sprinkling of water.But the differences between the tie-barn and open house were highly significant (P<0.01) and higher in the tie-barn for all these variables. Physiological reaction such as rectal temperature, respiratory rate and cardiac rate did not vary significantly between treatments for morning recording. For afternoon recording the differences were highly significant. Sprinkling of water in T1 and T3 markedly reduced the diurnal rise in physiological norms compared to T4. The difference between T2 and T3 was comparable. Mean weekly milk yield of cows in T1, T2 and T3 increased by 4.70, 1.22 and 1.71 kg per head respectively compared with T4. Milk composition such as total solids, solids not fat, protein and fat percentages did not vary significantly between treatments. Green grass consumption differed significantly between treatments and highest in the T1 (26.16 kg per cow). Daily water consumption differed significantly between treatments and highest in the T4 (31.72 kg). Haemoglobin, packed cell volume and erythrocyte sedimentation rate differed significantly (P<0. 01) between treatments. There was a uniform loss in body weights of all the experimental cows as lactation progressed upto the peak yield stage, thereafter the cows had shown tendency to regain body weights irrespective of the type of treatment given. Sprinkling water in T1 and T3 encouraged the feeding and rumination of cows during hot hours of the day and consumed significantly more feed. Sprinkling of water in T1 and T3 increased the intensity and duration of oestrus 'and successful insemination rate. The results suggest that during the summer season of Kerala tree shade or simple shade areas with roof supported on pillors affording maximum ventilation and sprinkling or splashing of water during hot hours of the day may be practiced to alleviate heat stress and reduce drop in milk production and fertility rate during summer.