Effect of Adding Calcium Propionate on Productive Performance of Iraqi Buffaloes

Abstract

This study was conducted at the ruminant research station in Abu Ghraib / livestock research department / agricultural research department / ministry of agriculture. The experiment period from 5/10/2022 to 1/4/2023, and for the production season 2022-2023. In order to study the effect of calcium propionate for different periods to study the difference of these periods in some of the productive characteristics of the Iraqi buffaloes, 15 females of Iraqi milking buffaloes were used, divided into three treatments for each treatment 5 buffaloes aged from 6-7 years, as the first treatment was T1 treatment Control without adding of calcium propionate, the second treatment T2 added 100 g calcium propionate/buffalo, and the third treatment T3 added 150 g calcium propionate/buffalo and for the periods 7 hours before calving, 24 hours after calving and 7 days after calving, calcium propionate was added to the concentrated diet. The results of the study indicate that there is a significant difference (P≤0.05) for milk production within the seventh reading in treatments T2 and T3 g compared with control T1, and a significant difference (P≤0.05) was observed in T2 for milk production within the eighth reading compared with T3 and control T1, and there were significant differences (P≤0.05) for T2 in 1st, 2nd and 3rd months for the percentage of fat compared with treatment T3 and control T1, and the results indicated a significant differences (P≤ 0.05) for treatment T3 in 1st and 3rd months for the percentage of fat compared with T2 and control T1. We conclude that the addition of calcium propionate at a ratio of 100 and 150 gm to buffalo diets during different periods improved the milk production and fat percentage of local female buffaloes.