INFLUENCE OF DIFFERENT NUTRIENT SOURCES ON GROWTH PARAMETERS OF FODDER MAIZE (ZEA MAYS L.) AND ITS EFFECT ON CROSSBRED HEIFERS
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Date
2020-08
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UHF,NAUNI
Abstract
The present investigation entitled “Influence of different nutrient sources on growth paraneters of fodder maize (Zea mays L.) and its effect on crossbred heifers” was conducted at the Dairy farm in Department of Silviculture and Agroforestry, Dr. Y S Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry, Nauni, Solan (H.P.) during the year 2019-20 with the objectives to study the effect of different nutrient sources on growth and yield parameters of maize and to evaluate the effect of feeding maize based diets on growth performance of crossbred heifers. In the present investigation, the impact of two types organic manure i.e. (FYM 20 t ha-1), Jeevamrut (500 liters ha-1) and inorganic fertilizer (60 N Kg ha-1) on performance of fodder maize parameters i.e. plant height (cm), number of leaves per plant, leaf length, leaf width, stem girth (cm), green fodder yield and dry matter yield (ton per hectare) were observed. After harvesting, the prepared samples were subjected to nutritive analysis and dry matter (DM), crude protein (CP), ether extract (EE), crude fibre (CF), neutral detergent fibre (NDF), acid detergent fibre (ADF), total ash (TA), acid insoluble ash (AIA) and nitrogen free extract (NFE) were recorded. In the feeding trial of 90 days duration the growth parameters i.e. body weight, average daily gain, heart girth, body length and body height (cm) were observed.
The results in the present study revealed that the application of recommended dose of fertilizer (RDF) resulted in better plant growth parameters as compared to application of FYM and Jeevamrut. The application of recommended dose of fertilizer (T3) significantly increased fodder maize plant height (170.03 cm), number of leaves per plant (12.40), leaf length (92.76 cm), leaf width (8.00 cm), stem girth (5.93 cm), green fodder yield (29.20 t ha-1) and dry matter yield (7.99 t ha-1). The nutritional parameters were also better on the application of RDF with CP 8.40%, EE 0.98%, TA 8.08%, AIA 1.09%, NFE 52.38%, dm 27.37%, CF30.15%, NDF 55.37%, ADF 35.29%. In the feeding trial on replacement of concentrate mixture with fodder maize it was observed that the replacement of concentrate mixture with 50 per cent maize fodder resulted in higher average daily gain (472 gm/day), heart girth (10.93 cm), body length (11.06 cm) and body height (11.23 cm) as compared to other treatment groups in a duration of 90 days. The body weight and body parameters were significantly higher in the animals when they were fed on a diet containing 50 per cent maize fodder.