Comparative Feeding Practices of Milking Animals in Haryana

Hisar and Karnal district of Haryana were selected for the study. Adampur and Hisar-I blocks were selected from Hisar district and Indri and Nilokheri blocks were selected from Karnal district. A sample of 120 households (15 from each village) were selected for the detail investigations. The existing feeding pattern of dairy animals of Hisar district indicated that quantity of green fodder (25.87, 23.87 and 13.12 kg) and concentrates fed to buffalo (3.47, 3.78 and

3.73 kg) in rainy, winter and summer, respectively, were higher as compared to green fodder in rainy, winter, summer (24.10, 21.97 and 12.57 kg) and concentrates (2.82, 3.32 and 3.24 kg) in rainy, winter and summer, respectively fed to cattle. Whereas in Karnal district the situation was reverse, the cattle were being fed more green fodder than the buffaloes. However, the feeding of dry fodder and concentrates were higher in case of buffaloes as compared to cattle. On an average milk yield of cattle (10.87, 12.35 and 8.62 kg/day/animal, in rainy, winter and summer season, respectively) was observed to be higher in all seasons as compared to buffalo (8.14, 9.98 and 6.66 kg/day/animal in rainy, winter and summer season, respectively) in Karnal district. Whereas in Hisar district buffalo milk yield (8.86, 10.70 and 7.38 kg in rainy, winter and summer season, respectively) was higher as compared to that of cattle (7.85, 9.94 and 6.55 kg in rainy, winter and summer season, respectively). The dry matter, digestible crude protein and total digestible nutrient were found in excess than the requirement in all the seasons for buffalo as well as for cattle in Karnal district. In Hisar the quantity of total digestible nutrients was excess for buffalo in all the seasons whereas, digestible crude protein was less in rainy and summer, except winter season, but dry matter was in excess in rainy and winter season. In case of cattle total digestible nutrients and dry matter was found to be excess than the requirment in all the seasons, but digestible crude protein was less in summer, as compared to the rainy and winter season in Hisar district. The study suggests that through balanced feeding farmers can increase milk yield on one hand and can reduce the cost of maintenance on the other hand. The average milk yield per cattle was higher than buffalo in Karnal district due to more number of cross-bred cows in the herd, because the rearing of cross-bred cows has been promoted in the district. Farmers of Hisar district should be encouraged to grow more green fodder to increase the milk yield of milch animals and to reduce cost of feeding.