Nutrient Utilization by Lactating Mountain Artillary Mares Fed on Different Combinations of Concentrate and Roughage

Effect of feeding all-roughage ration of cereal-legume mixture in group 1 and with 1, 2 and 4.1 kg concentrate mixture in groups, 2,3 and 4 respectively was studied on nutrient utilization in lactating Mountain Artillary (MA) mares. Fourth group was fed as per standard schedule of atud. In group 1 the voluntary dry matter intake (VD1) was 3.08 kg/100 kg body weight, Significant increase in VDI was noticed in groups 3 and 4. No significant effect of ration composition was observed on the digestibility coefficients of DM, OM, CP and GE, but significant differences were noticed with respect to EE, CF and NFE digestibilities. The mean daily DCP-inlake was 16.4, 19.0, 21.3 and 24.4% higher; and DE intake 17.9, 18, 8, 24.6 and 37.6% higher than the NRC recommendation in groups 1 to 4 respectively. Average daily milk yield was not affected by the treatments. Average loss in body weight during 6 months suckling ranged from 2.3 to 6.2% of body weight at foaling. The loss in weight, however, decreased with the increase in the level of concentrate feeding. Thus, the protein and energy requirement of lactating mares seemed to be higher than the NRC recommendations.