Nutritional status of feeds and fodders fed to dairy cattle in South Kashmir

Abstract

A comprehensive study carried out in five blocks of district Kulgam (DH Pora, Devser, Kulgam, Quimoh and Yaripora) revealed commonly available sources of roughages were paddy straw, maize stover, oat hay and mixed grass hay, while common source of concentrates fed to dairy cattle were rice bran, wheat bran, mustard oil cake and commercial pellet feed. Among the roughages highest DM% was found in paddy straw (87.94%) and among concentrates in rice bran (89.91%). Mixed grass hay was having the highest CP% (6.50%) and EE% (5.53) in roughages and in mustard oil cake (34.98%) and (13.00%) among concentrates. A wide variation in CF% was observed in roughages and ranged from 28.24% (mixed grass hay) to 37.84% (maize stover) and among concentrates CF content ranged between 7.38% (commercial pelleted feed) to 22.95% (rice bran). TA% among the roughages ranged from 8.69% in mixed grass hay to 12.50% in paddy straw and in concentrates TA content ranged between 5.26% in wheat bran to 12.48% in rice bran. Pooled samples of different feeds and fodders were evaluated for Cornell Net Carbohydrate and protein fractions revealed that the fraction A ranged between 10.93% (wheat bran) to 25.72% in MOC. Fraction B1 ranged from 5.90% in oat hay to 34.87% in maize stover. Fraction B2 was found highest in wheat bran (47.45% CP) and lowest in paddy straw (29.37±0.30% CP). Fraction B3 was found highest in paddy straw (23.79±0.12% CP) and lowest in commercial pelleted feed (3.14%CP). Fraction C was also found highest in paddy straw (24.14% CP) and lowest in commercial pelleted feed (5.15% CP). Cornell Net Protein fractions of all feeds and fodders were well within the normal range.