Central And Zone Research Institute, Regional Research Station, Bikaner-334 002, India
*Present address: Central Arid Zone Research Institute, Jodhpur 342 003, India
Online published on 5 January, 2012.
Fourteen Rathi (146.79±5.95 kg) and 14 Tharparkar (85.86+.4.40 kg) yeariing heifers were maintained on protected pasture of Lesiurus sindicus at the stocking rate of 1.5 ha/animal. From the month of December the average dialy gain was negative in both the breeds of heifers. Animals exhibited the signs of debility and malnutrition followed by marked boney prominances and lacrimal discharge during the month of January. Provision of Lasiurus hay, supplemented with concentrate feeding and parentral administration of Vitamin-A alongwlth feeding mineral mixture from February onwards improved the general health status and average daily gain of all the experimental heifers.
