Effect of feeding shea nut cake based diets on growth and carcass characteristics of graded murrah male buffaloe calves

A trial was conducted to analyze the growth performance and carcass characteristics of eighteen graded Murrah male buffalo calves and distributed randomly into 3 equal groups in complete randomized design and fed three different rations for a period of 120 days. The control diet (T1) contained 0% SNC and 0% probiotic. T2 contained 20% SNC and 0.1% probiotic (yeast culture). T3 contained 40% SNC and 0.1% probiotic. As the SNC content increased in the diets the dry matter intake was also increased significantly from T1 to T3 rations. The total body weight gain (kg) of buffalo calves in the experimental diets T2 and T3 were significantly (P < 0.01) higher than control (T1) diet. The average daily gains (g) were significantly (P<0.01) in T2 and T3 rations than control ration. The feed conversion efficiency was significantly (P <0.01) higher in control diet T1 against T2 and T3 diet clearly indicating the inclusion of SNC in the diets reduces the cost of production of meat in buffalo calves. The average dressing percentage expressed as percentage of slaughter weights and empty body weights were 52.29a±0.08, 53.51b±0.42 and 54.27b±0.34, and 64.20±0.23, 65.72±1.00 and 66.82±0.84 respectively in T1, T2 and T3 diets fed buffalo calf groups respectively. The dressing percentage in T2 and T3 experimental groups were comparable but significantly higher (P<0.01) than control group (T1). There was no significant difference observed among the experimental treatments in yield of various edible and non edible organs individually. However the total edible offal's percent on slaughter weight was significantly higher in T3 group when compared to T1 and T2. These results indicate that the addition of SNC in diets of buffalo calves did not affect the yield of individual edible offals but significantly (P<0.01) increased the total yield of edible offal's in SNC fed experimental animals.