COMPARISON OF DIFFERENT MILK REPLACERS ON GROWTH PERFORMANCE OF MALABARI KIDS
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Date
2018-12-30
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COLLEGE OF VETERINARY AND ANIMAL SCIENCES MANNUTHY, THRISSUR
Abstract
An experiment was conducted to study the effect of feeding different milk
replacers in Malabari kids on their growth performance for the period of two
months. Twenty four healthy Malabari kids of four days of age were selected and
divided into four groups of six each, as uniformly as possible with regard to age
and body weight and were allotted randomly to different experimental rations.
Experimental rations were T1 (control, dam’s milk), T2 (Milk replacer based on
whey powder), T3 (Milk replacer based on groundnut oilcake) and T4 (Milk
replacer based on coconut oilcake). Dam’s milk and milk replacers were fed to kids
at the rate of 1/6th and 1/8th of the body weight during first month and second
month respectively. Kid starter and fresh green grass were offered to the kids from
15th day onwards to all the experimental kids throughout the experimental period.
Data on body weight gain, body measurements, daily dry matter intake, feed
conversion efficiency, haematological and serum biochemical parameters such as
haemoglobin, plasma total protein, serum glucose, urea nitrogen, serum calcium
and phosphorus, faecal consistency score, incidence of diseases and techno
economics of production were employed for evaluation of different treatments.
Average daily gain and total weight gain were 63 g and 3.98 kg, 62 g and
3.91 kg, 49 g and 3.07 kg and 47 g and 2.96 kg, respectively for kids fed T1, T2,
T3 and T4. Average daily gain and total weight gain were significantly higher in
T1 and T2 compared to the kid fed T3 and T4. Over all mean of body length at two
months ranged from 37.75 to 39.92 cm. Mean heart girth ranged from 35.50 to
36.33 cm. Mean height at withers ranged from 36.83 to 39.92 cm. Body
measurements showed no significant difference between the treatments. Total dry
matter intake of kids was 6.93, 5.23, 4.80 and 4.88 kg, respectively for T1, T2, T3
and T4. Total dry matter intake was significantly higher in T1 than T2, T3 and T4.
Feed conversion efficiency for kids fed T1, T2, T3 and T4 was 1.73, 1.34, 1.56 and
1.65, respectively.
The haematological and serum biochemical parameters such as
haemoglobin, plasma total protein, serum calcium, phosphorus, glucose, blood urea
nitrogen did not show any significant difference between the treatments and the
values were within the normal range reported for the species. Faecal consistency
score was comparatively higher in the first fortnight than the following fortnights
and the values were similar between the treatments. Out of the total cases of
diarrhea, incidence was more in kids fed T4 (30 per cent). Respiratory illness was
noticed higher in kids fed T3 and T4 than T1 and T2. Majority of the cases of bloat
was noticed in T4 group. The feed cost per kg body weight gain for the kids fed
T1, T2, T3 and T4 were Rs. 580.02, 139.60, 176.94, 179.78, respectively. Feed
cost / kg gain was significantly lower in kids fed with T2 followed by T3, T4 and
T1 groups.
From the results obtained on the present study it could be inferred that kids
in T2 had similar growth performance as that of control (T1) group. Feed cost per
kg gain in T2, T3 and T4 was better than T1. Therefore it could be concluded that
milk replacer based on whey powder can be given to the kids as an alternative to
milk without compromising the growth performance.
Description
Thesis Submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirement for the degree of Master of Veterinary Science in Livestock Production Management