COMPARATIVE STUDY OF FEEDING MILK REPLACER, WHOLE MILK PLUS MILK REPLACER BLEND AND WHOLE MILK ON DRY MATTER INTAKE, AVERAGE DAILY GAIN AND FEED CONVERSION RATIO IN NILI RAVI BUFFALO CALVES

Abstract

Buffalo calves are generally deprived of milk due to high prices of buffalo milk. The experiment was planned to find out the result of whole milk, calf 

milk replacer and whole milk cum milk replacer on dry matter intake, average daily weight gain, and feed efficiency in Nili Ravi buffalo calves. 

Eighteen newborn buffalo calves were randomly divided into three treatment groups. Six calves in each treatment group. Treatment A (Whole milk), B 

(50% whole milk & 50% milk replacer) & C (milk replacer). All the calves were fed calf starter (19% CP) from day 20 to day 120 of age. They had 

free access to drinking water. Green fodder was given to all the treatment calves from day 60 to day 120 of age. The average dry matter intake on a 

daily basis in treatment A, B and C was 1540.5±2.0936, 1534.7±2.5386 and 1529.2±1.5366 g, respectively, The least square mean of total dry matter 

was higher in treatment of whole milk group than treatment of milk replacer group, while it was similar (P>0.05) between whole milk group treatment 

and 50% whole milk group + 50% milk replacer group. There was also non-significant difference in treatment group of 50% whole milk + 50% milk 

replacer and milk replacer treatment group. The average weight gain on daily basis for groups of treatment A, treatment B and Treatment C was 

442.00±6.6933, 438.50±0.7638 and 401.17±2.3863 grams respectively. Average daily weight gain was higher in whole milk treatment group than 

group of milk replacer Treatment, while it was similar (P>0.05) among Treatment groups of whole milk and 50% whole milk + 50% milk replacer. The 

mean values for FCR in all the three treatment groups (A, B and C) were 3.4895±0.0561, 3.4998±5.306 and 3.8125±0.0225, respectively. The feed 

conversion ratio (FCR) of treatment group A and treatment group B was lesser than FCR of treatment group C. It can be accomplished that 50% whole 

milk can be replaced with calf milk replacer on a daily basis milk allowance of Nili Ravi buffalo calves devoid of effecting dry matter intake, growth 

and feed efficiency.