Milk Production, Methane Emission, Metabolic Profile and Drinking Water Use Efficiency of Lactating Animals Fed Balanced Rations

A field study on early lactating crossbred cows (n=7) and buffaloes (n= 21) was conducted in Rupnagar district of Punjab state. Feeding practices revealed that dietary intake of protein, energy and calcium were higher by 36.6, 22.8 and 29.5% in cows and 20.0, 28.7 and 36.9% in buffaloes, whereas, phosphorus intake was lower by 21.6 and 36.5% in cows and buffaloes, respectively, than their requirements. Balanced feeding improved (P<0.05) fat corrected milk by 0.6 and 0.7 kg/animal/day, whereas, feeding cost reduced (P<0.05) by 14 and 18% in cows and buffaloes, respectively. Enteric methane emission, in terms of g/day was reduced by 7.2 (P<0.05) and 10.3% (P<0.01), whereas, in terms of g/kg milk yield was reduced (P<0.05) by 18.8 and 13.4% in cows and buffaloes, respectively, on feeding a balanced ration. Intestinal flow of microbial nitrogen (N) was increased (P<0.05) by 7.1% and 17.3%, whereas, faecal N loss was reduced (P<0.05) by 9.0 and 18.1%; and concentration of faecal archaeol by 16 and 18% in cows and buffaloes, respectively. Parasitic load interm of eggs per gram of faeces reduced (P<0.05) from 173 to 96 and 146 to 73 in cows and buffaloes, respectively. Level of immunoglobulin IgG increased (P<0.05) from 33.1 to 38.0 and 32.4 to 36.9 mg/mL in cows and buffaloes, respectively, whereas, other blood metabolites i.e. blood urea nitrogen, creatinine and uric acid were not affected. Drinking water use efficiency before and after feeding balanced rations was 0.12 and 0.15, respectively, indicating significant improvement in efficiency of utilization of drinking water for milk production.