Growth Performance, Nutrient Digestibility, Haematological Indices and Cost of Feeding in Murrah Buffalo Heifers under Different Dietary Treatments

Twenty four heifers of similar age and body weight were divided into 4 groups of 6 animals each. The animals were fed wheat straw + concentrate, wheat straw + concentrate + berseem hay, wheat straw + concentrate + sorghum/mustard green fodder, wheat straw + concentrate + oats silage in treatments T₁, T₂, T₃ and T₄, respectively for a period of 124 days. The average body weight, body weight gain, body measurements, DM intake, feed: gain ratio, digestibility of nutrient, blood biochemical parameters were similar in all the treatment groups. Feed cost per kg gain was least in group T₂ followed by T₃, T₄ and T₁. Therefore, incorporation of berseem hay in the conventional diets of buffalo heifer was found to be economical for buffalo heifers during feed scarcity periods.