Open AccessEffect Of Parity On Intake And Utilization Of A High Forage Low Concentrate Ration By Bunaji Cows In Early Lactation
Author(s) -
J. A. Adeneye
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
nigerian journal of animal production
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
ISSN - 0331-2062
DOI - 10.51791/njap.v20i.2104
Subject(s) - lactation , dry matter , lactose , hay , zoology , parity (physics) , forage , body weight , biology , food science , agronomy , pregnancy , endocrinology , genetics , physics , particle physics
During the early lactation of three groups of four Bunaji cows each in the first, fourth and seventh parities, a 3:1 hay mixture of Cyonodon nlemfuensis variety robustus and Gliricidia sepium leaves fed ad libitum was supplemented for ten weeks with concentrate that supplied 16% of the daily total dry matter intake (DMI). On metabolic size basis, the intake of actual and digestible dry matter, crude protein (CP) and energy declined with increasing parity, the values for the seventh parity being significantly lower (P 0.05). On the average, animals in the 4th parity apparently lost or gained no weight. Primiparous animals gained one and half times as much weight as the oldest animals and more efficiently utilized the DM, DCP and DE consumed for weight gain while the ratio of their live weight gain to milk yield was higher (P<0.05). Multiparous animals required 110% of the recommended CP but all animals required 70 - 85% of the recommended DE for maintenance and productive purposes.