A STUDY ON EFFECT OF TYPE OF FLOORING ON PERFORMANCE AND BEHAVIOUR OF MURRAH BUFFALO CALVES
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Date
2023-03
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SRI VENKATESWARA VETERINARY UNIVERSITY TIRUPATI - 517 502. (A.P.) INDIA
Abstract
The present experiment was conducted to study the effect of type of flooring on
performance and behaviour of Murrah Buffalo calves. A total of 18 healthy Murrah
buffalo calves of either sex aged 6-8 months, maintained at Buffalo Research Station
(BRS), Venkataramannagudem, were randomly selected and housed in three separate
pens for a period of 3 months from August 2022 to October 2022. Calves of first group
were reared on concrete flooring (T1), the calves of second group were reared on Rubber
mat flooring (T2) and the calves of third group were reared on soil flooring (T3). The
animals were exposed to their respective floorings round the clock.
The final mean body weights (kgs) of the corresponding groups T1, T2 and T3,
after 90 days were 151.53 ± 1.23, 164.48 ± 1.41 and 156.23 ± 1.17 respectively, in which
T2 was significantly higher (P < 0.01) than T1 and T3. The overall mean ADG (g) differed
significantly (P < 0.01) and followed the trend T2 > T3 > T1 (477.53 ± 12.35, 389.86 ±
7.95, 331.78 ± 6.66) respectively. The mean body lengths (cm) of the Murrah buffalo
calves of three treatment groups T1, T2 and T3, at the end of the experiment were 104.78
± 0.85, 106.68 ± 1.85 and 106.68 ± 1.31 respectively, which did not differ significantly
(P > 0.05). The overall mean chest girths (cm) differ significantly (P < 0.01) and followed
a trend T2 > T3 > T1 (137.57 ± 1.47, 132.81 ± 0.93, 129.24 ± 0.86) respectively. The
overall mean height at withers (cm) of T2 (111.05 ± 1.21) was significantly higher than
T1 (106.56 ± 0.62) and T3 (108.33 ± 0.70), but there was no difference between T1 and
T3. The overall mean poll lengths (cm) of the Murrah buffalo calves of three treatment
groups T1, T2 and T3 were 21.29 ± 0.28, 21.92 ± 0.39 and 21.08 ± 0.25 respectively
which did not differ significantly (P > 0.05). The overall mean tail length (cm) of T2
(58.45 ± 0.68) was significantly higher (P < 0.05) than T1 (55.49 ± 0.79) and T3 (56.21
± 0.79), but there was no significant difference between T1 and T3.
The overall mean rectal temperature (˚F) of T3 (100.58 ± 0.08) was significantly
(P < 0.01) lower than T1 (101.25 ± 0.16) and T2 (100.95 ± 0.12). The overall mean pulse
rates also differ significantly (P < 0.01) between the groups. The overall mean pulse rate
of T3 (65.48 ± 0.99) was significantly lower than T2 (70.14 ± 1.40) followed by T1 (73.95
± 1.61). The overall mean respiration rate of T3 (22.71 ± 0.29) was significantly (P <
0.01) lower than T2 (23.76 ± 0.33) followed by T1 (25.05 ± 0.44).
The overall mean cleanliness score of T3 (2.54 ± 0.11) was significantly higher
(P < 0.01) than T1 (2.26 ± 0.10) followed by T2 (1.95 ± 0.07). The overall mean skin
health score of T1 (1.52 ± 0.04) was significantly higher (P < 0.05) than T3 (1.29 ± 0.04)
followed by T2 (1.36 ± 0.05) but there was no significant difference between T2 and T3.
The overall mean heel erosions of T1 (0.64 ± 0.07) were significantly higher (P < 0.05)
than T3 (0.33 ± 0.07) but doesn’t differ from T2 (0.48 ± 0.08) and there was no significant
difference between T1, T2 and T2, T3. There was a significant difference (P = 0.05) in
average hoof concavity score observed in the last fortnight between the treatments, in
which T1 (1.00 ± 0.01) was significantly higher (P = 0.05) than T2 (0.33 ± 0.21) but
doesn’t differ significantly from T2 (0.50 ± 0.22). There was a significant difference (P
= 0.05) in average hoof overgrowth score observed in the last fortnight between the
treatments, in which T3 (1.00 ± 0.01) was significantly higher (P = 0.05) than T1 (0.33 ±
0.21) but doesn’t differ significantly from T2 (0.50 ± 0.22).
The overall mean standing time of the treatment groups for T1, T2 and T3 were
662.90 ± 6.08, 649.07 ± 8.96 and 640.86 ± 14.00 respectively, which was higher in T1
and lower in T3 but doesn’t differ significantly (P > 0.05). The overall mean sitting time
of T2 (592.55 ± 13.94) was significantly higher (P < 0.01) than T3 (531.45 ± 15.07) but
doesn’t differ significantly from T1 (576.71 ± 14.39). The overall mean eating time of
T1(440.29 ± 16.13) was significantly higher (P < 0.01) than T3 (399.07 ± 13.78) followed
by T2 (355.24 ± 13.51). The overall mean rumination time (min/day) of T2 (383.57 ±
16.08) was significantly higher (P < 0.01) than T3 (306.98 ± 12.31) followed by T1
(268.36 ± 8.19). The overall mean social licking time (sec/day) of T3 (734.31 ± 51.08)
was significantly higher (P < 0.01) than T2 (409.67 ± 30.27) followed by T1 (174.02 ±
12.10). The overall mean sleeping time of T1 (154.26 ± 6.85) was significantly lower (P
< 0.01) than T2 (224.19 ± 8.92) and T3 (228.90 ± 10.84) but there was no significant
difference between T2 and T3. The cost/kg body weight gain was highest in T1 (168.90)
and was lowest in T3 (109.62). It can be concluded that provision of proper flooring like,
rubber mat or soil floor can improve the comfortability of the dairy calves which in turn
will have positive influence on the growth and ADG, thus calves can attain sexual
maturity at an early age, improving the productive life span of the animals and increasing
the profitability of dairy enterprise. For better economic reasons a mixed flooring can be
followed like resting area can be installed with rubber mat flooring, open area with soil
floor and rest of the area with other better alternate flooring.