Evaluation of hydroponics fodder as a partial feed substitute in the ration of crossbred calves

Abstract

An experiment was conducted to evaluate the effect of maize green fodder produced by hydroponics system on the performance of eighteen weaned crossbred calves and Calves were divided into three groups T 1 , T 2 and T 3 of six each as uniformly. The calf starter in dietary treatments T 1 , T 2 and T 3 contained 24, 20 and 17 per cent of Crude Protein (CP), respectively and 70 per cent Total Digestible Nutrients (TDN). The T 2 and T 3 treatments were made iso-nitrogenous with T 1 by supplementing hydroponics maize fodder. The results obtained in the present study showed significant difference among different treatment groups regarding Dry matter intake (DM), total body weight gain, Average daily gain (ADG) and Feed conversion ratio (FCR) with a higher (P<0.05) values observed for calves belonging to T 3 than groups T 1 and T 2 . Data on digestibility of nutrients does not reveal any difference (P>0.05) among treatment groups. Cost per kg gain was significantly (P<0.05) lower in T 3 (Rs.102.14) than groups T 2 (Rs. 111.64) and T 1 (Rs. 119.82). On conclusion, feeding of hydroponics maize fodder as a partial feed substitute of calf starter on protein basis at seven per cent level improves the DM intake, total body weight gain, ADG and lowers the cost per kg body weight gain.