Enhancing Milk Fat Synthesis in Murrah Buffalo with Inclusion of Fodder Oat Through-Induced Volatile Fatty Acid Production (VFA)

Forage quality plays a critical role in the productivity and health of dairy buffalos, directly influencing milk yield, nutrient utilization and overall animal performance. As livestock diets evolve, there is growing interest in optimizing feed composition to improve digestibility and fermentation efficiency. Fodder varieties like OL 10, dual-purpose rabi cereal, multi-cut nature, rapid regeneration capacity, quick growing habit, high palatable, succulent and nutritious fodder characteristics it as more suitable for animal sustainability.

The study assessed the effect of substituting concentrate mixture with fodder oats on milk yield and composition in Murrah buffalo during the rabi season of 2023-2024, using a 50-days feeding trial with six buffalo divided into Group 1: Control group (CG) and Group 2: Treatment group (TG)

The study evaluated the nutritional impact of OL 10 forage on dairy buffalo performance compared to a concentrate mixture. OL 10 showed a crude protein digestibility of 76.49% and dry matter digestibility of 61.30%. Its nutrient profile included 46.88% ADF, 65.28% NDF and 12.67% non-fibre carbohydrates. Milk yield in buffalo fed OL 10 increased by 12.0% (5.34 kg/day) compared to those on the concentre mixture (4.77 kg/day), with a 5.2% rise in milk fat content (7.12% vs 6.77%). The feed conversion ratio (FCR) improved, with dry matter efficiency increasing by 52.1% and crude protein conversion improving by 47.6%. Rumen fermentation was enhanced, showing a 6.2% rise in total volatile fatty acid (VFA) production, particularly acetate (11.12 mmol/L). Additionally, buffalo on the OL 10 diet gained 12.4 kg in body weight, 22.4% higher than the control group. Overall, OL 10 is an efficient forage that improves productivity, nutrient utilization and animal health.