Department of Animal Nutrition & Forage, Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana-141 004, India
Online published on 5 January, 2012.
Twenty male buffalocalves(8-9m; 100-120 kg) were divided into4equal groups and fed concentrate mixture (1.5 kg/d) with protein levels at 14 (I), 18.6 (II), 22.3 (III) and 25.8 ((V) percent for 300d. The TDN intakes were, however, similar in all groups. The weight gains were 467±22, 500±28, 502±30 and 501±31 g/d in I, II, III and IV, respectively. It was observed that the DCP intake was 92% of the recommendations and was quite enough to obtain an average daily weight gain of 500g which did not increase any further by increasing the DCP intake. On the basis of growth and N-balance data CP and DCP requirements of calves for 100 to 300 kg body weight were worked out.
