Abstract
The studies were conducted to indentify the availability of feeds and fodders, existing feeding and management practices, cost of feeds, current productivity and profitability of milk and meat, assess the chemical composition and nutritional quality of the available feeds and fodders and formulate cost-effectiveration and carry out feeding trial for increasing milk production of milking buffaloes and growth of buffalobull calves in the selected areas of Trishal, Subornochar, Lalpur and Bagha Upozila's in Bangladesh. Initially,a base line survey was conducted and identified that the buffalo is popular among the farmers due to its welladaptation in prevailing management systems, high diseases resistance and higher market price of milk. Thebuffalo farmers were relatively younger in age, majority of them were educated and were involved in agriculture. The availability of feed and fodders and the shortage of feeds was the main constraint for buffalorearing. The mean average productive and reproductive performances were identified. Secondly, study wasconducted to evaluate the proximate composition and nutritional quality of available feeds and fodders fed tobuffaloes in the selected areas. The result revealed that the chemical composition, in vitro gas production (ml),organic matter digestibility (OMD%) and ME contents (MJ/Kg DM) of roughage and concentrate feeds tuffsvaried between species to species and in some cases from location to location. From the nutritional point of view, Uri grass (26.22%CP) could be marked as good quality roughage. Two feeding trials were conducted on farmer's level supplemented with different energy and protein based diet for milking buffaloes (for 6 months)and buffalo bull calves (for 8 months). In first feeding trial, 60 lactating buffaloes (15 from each location, total15×4=60) were selected on the basis of their initial milk production and assigned randomly into three dietary treatment groups. The control group received no concentrate supplement, feeding group D₁ received high(14.6%) protein and D2 received low (11.70%) protein concentrate supplement with equal level of energy(12.15 MJ per kg DM) in 4×3 factorial design. The result revealed that the increased average daily milk production of Di, D2 and control was 1.65 L (52.21%), 1.90 L (66.20%) and 0.17 L (5.92%), respectively ,compared with the initial milk production. On the other hand, the average daily milk production of D1 and D2was increased by 1.73 L (56.90%) and 1.77 L (58.22%), respectively, compared with control group. Thein creased mean average daily milk production of Trishal, Subornochar, Lalpur and Bagha Upozila were 0.99 L(25.25%), 1.28 L (75.73%), 1.72 L (61.87%) and 1.16 L (33.52%), respectively, compared with the initial milk production. The highest (6.40) milk fat percentage was found in control and the lowest (6.08) was found in D1.The milk protein, lactose and TS percentage of different treatments groups was not significantly varied between the treatment and control, but SNF percentage of treatment groups was significantly higher compared with control. The highest (357.20 g) ADG of milking buffaloes was found in D₁ and the lowest (3.60g
was found in control. According to locations, the highest (251.80 g) ADG was found in Subornochar Upozila followed by Bagha (224.30 g), Trishal (198.50 g) and the lowest (182.60 g) was found in Lalpur Upozila. The highest (1:3.45) cost benefit ratio was found in D2 followed by D₁ (1:3.42) and the lowest (1:2.36)was found in control. But according to locations, the highest (1:3.59) cost benefit ratio was found in Trishal Upozila followed by Lalpur (1:3.22), Bagha (1:3.16) and the lowest (1:1.27) was found in Subornochar Upozila.In second feeding trial, 60 growing buffalo bull calves (15 from each location, total 15×4=60) were selected according to their initial body weight and assigned at randomly into three dietary treatment groups. The control group received no concentrate supplement, D3 received high (13.77 MJ per kg DM) energy and D4received low (12.14 MJ per kg DM) energy concentrate supplement with similar level of crude protein(12.50%) in a 4×3 factorial design. The result revealed that the highest (620.6 g) ADG was found in
followed by D4 (614.40 g) and the lowest (222.7g) was found in control. The highest (498.1g) ADG was foundD3inthein Lalpur Upozila followed by Bagha (485.30g), Subornochar (485.30 g) and the lowest (475.0 g) was found
Trishal Upozila according to locations. The highest (6.46) FCE was found in D3 followed by D4 (6.64) and
lowest (12.17) was found in control. The highest (1:3.60) cost benefit ratio was found in D3 followed by D4(1:3.51) and the lowest (1:1.97) was found in control. The highest (1:3.32) cost benefit ratio was found in Bagha Upozila followed by Trishal (1:3.26), Lalpur (1:2.85) and the lowest (1:2.85) was found in Subornochar Upozila. It can be concluded from the present findings that supplementation of concentrate diet D₂ (11.70%CPwith 12.14 MJ ME/kg DM) and D3 (13.06 MJ ME/kg DM with 12.50%CP) could be used to increase milk production of dairy buffaloes and growth of buffalo bull calves, respectively and the diets were proved to be cost-effective and profitable.