Assessment of Feeding Practices during Winter Season of Milch Cows in Kutch District of North Gujarat

摘要

The survey was conducted in three talukas viz. Mundra, Mondavi and Nakhatrana of Kutch district, Gujarat to record the present feeding practices followed by the farmers. Two villages were selected from Mandvi taluka, one from Mundra and one from Nakhatrana and truly represented the animal husbandry practices of the taluka. In each village, 10 farmers owing dairy animals producing 6-8 kg or more milk per day per animal were selected. The selected farmers were interviewed on the basis of questionnairedeveloped. Most of the dairy animal owners keep their animals under stall-fed conditions either at home or at farm within a limited area and also allow free grazing to these animals in fields. The quantity of concentrate (kg/day) fed to cows in differenttaluka ranged between 4.14 to 5.61 kg/day. Whereas that of green fodders to cows in different talukas ranged between 10.22 and 16.55 kg/day. Dry roughage feeding ranged between 8.23 and 16.11 kg/day in cows. The concentrate to roughage ratio ranged between 22.68:77.32 and 30.69:69.31. Cotton seed cake and wheat bran were fed separately at the time of milking.The cows produced 11.24 to 14.12 kg whole milk and 12.71 to 15.48 kg 4 % FCM per head/day. DCP Intake as % of requirement in the cows in entire Kutch district ranged between 99.22 to 115.19 %. The cows of different talukas did not differ significantly. However, the same differed (P? 0.01) between villages within talukas. The cows were underfed with respect to DCP 23.57 and 38.23% in village Lakhpar and Bidata, respectively. In villages Lakhpar, Bag, Bidata and Nirona 20.69, 31.76,16.92 and 30.46% of cows were moderately underfed.The overall average TDN intake in the cows in the villages ranged between 99.15 and 109.10 of requirement. 23.57 and 38.23% of cows in village Lakhpar and Bidada were found to be underfed, 20.69 and 16.92% of cows were moderately underfed, in village Bidada 9.26% of cows were overfed. On the basis of this study, it can be concluded that majority of all the milch cows of the surveyed areas in the Kutch district were adequately fed in terms of energy and proteins during December-January (winter season).