Effect of Vitamin E Supplementation on Growth and Carcass Characteristics of Male Murrah Buffalo (Buhalus Bubalis) Calves

Fifteen male Murrah buffalo calves (14–15 months old, mean body weight 194.0±0.64 kg), divided into three equal groups to elucidate the effect of two levels of vitamin E supplementation on their growth rate and carcass characteristics (edible and inedible offals, fat yield, primal cuts and carcass deboning data). All the buffalo calves were fed on wheat straw and concentrate mixture to meet their nutrients requirement with supplementation of vitamin E (α-tocopheryl acetate) at the rate of 0,300 and 600 IU/d/animal in group I, II and III, respectively till the animals attained the slaughter weight of 350kg. Results revealed numerically higher weight gain in vitamin E supplemented groups in comparison to control, but the differences were non significant (P>0.05) statistically. Similarly, no significant difference was observed on carcass parameters between the groups. It may be concluded that supplementation of vitamin E did not have any significant effect on body weight gain and carcass characteristics of male buffalo calves.