Milk Yield and Nutritional Status of Lactating Murrah Buffaloes in Eastern Part of Haryama

Profit from the dairy animals depends upon the input of nutrients supplied and output received. The present study was undertaken with objectives i) to study the gap between existing and balanced feeding practices, ii) to work out feed-milk production relationship and iii) to work out least cost feeding schedule for buffaloes. The results revealed that average milk yield and consumption of green fodder and concentrates per buffalo was highest on large farms in all seasons. The milk yield has positive relationship to the farm size and consumption of concentrate and green fodder. The supply of dry matter, digestible crude protein and total digestible nutrients for milk buffaloes was in excess in all seasons. The availability of digestible crude protein was found deficient only on small farms. The regression coefficients for concentrates had positive and highly significant impact on milk yield for all categories of farms in all three seasons. This indicates that there exists sufficient scope to increase milk yield with increased availability of concentrates. Green fodder showed significant impact on milk yield on small sized farms only. The regression coefficients for body weight, dry matter and total digestible nutrients revealed positive and non-significant effect on milk yield except dry matter on small sized farms. The regression coefficients of digestible crude protein were found to have significant impact on milk yield. The complete feed formulated with required ingredients by applying least cost method, the cost of feed was reduced by Rs. 0.07 and Rs.0.51 per kg in kharif and rabi seasons.