Deoiled salseed meal (DSSM) as an energy source in place of maize in the ratios of lactating crossbred cows

Abstract

Two sets of experiments were conducted with twelve crossbred (Haryana × Holstein Friesian) lactating cows in third lactation divided into three groups. Deoiled salseed meal (DSSM) was incorporated in the feed concentrate mixtures at the 10% and 20% levels, replacing maize. The experiments lasted for a period of about 4 months. No significant differences were observed in the intakes of dry matter, total digestible nutrients and metabolisable energy by the experimental animals when maize was replaced by the DSSM at the 10% or 20% level. No significant differences were found in the digestibilities of organic nutrients when the maize was replaced by DSSM at the 10% level. However, when the level was increased to 20%, there was a highly significant ( P < 0·01) differencesin the digestibility of crude protein and a significant ( P < 0·05) difference in the digestibility of acid detergent fibre and a non-significant depressing effect on other organic nutrients. The incorporation of salseed meal at the 10% or 20% level, replacing the maize, had no significant effect either on the milk yield or on its composition. No significant differences were noticed in the utilisation of metabolisable energy either for maintenance or for milk production, or in the efficiency of utilisation. Even though the nitrogen balance of the experimental animals varied from negative to positive, whether the concentrate mixtures had no salseed, 10% or 20% salseed at the expense of maize, the differences were found to be non-significant. The ‘dairy merit’ of the crossbred cows was found to be low, a fact which might be due to the poor quality roughage (wheat straw) used in the experiments.