Comparison of daily weight gain and fattening characteristics between buffalo and Holstein male calves with different diets

Abstract

This experiment was carried out over 180 days for comparison of daily weight gain and carcass characteristics of male buffalo (BW=200.8±8.00 Kg, days from birth day=360±28) calves to Holstein male calves (BW=195.2± 10 Kg, days from birth day= 240± 22) with different diets. The 27 male buffalo calves and 27 Holstein male calves after an adaptation period and health treatment (3 weeks) allotted in factorial design (2×3) based on completely randomized design with 18 treatments. Experimental diets used to applying three treatments (three levels) of NDF, including low NDF (LNDF), medium NDF (MNDF) and high NDF (HNDF), so that final prices of these diets were different. All of these experimental calves weighted by 21 days intervals after a fasting for 12h and fed twice daily at 09.00 and 21.00 with Total Mix Ration (TMR) ad-libitum. At the end of this experiment, three replicate from each treatment were slaughtered and used for carcass analysis. The result from this experiment shows that: There was no significant difference in initial body weight in the treatments of buffalo and Holstein male calves. Both Holstein and buffalo calves have the higher FBV and best FC in LNDF diet. There was no significant difference between MNDF and HNDF in buffalo calves treatments. The proportion of abdominal fat and fat of carcass in LNDF treatment was higher. The carcass efficiency and cost of meat production in better quality per Kg was higher and lower in buffalo calves respectively especially in treatments with higher NDF.