Starter protein concentration and weaning of buffalo calf

Abstract

The authors described the harmonic growth in terms of biological efficiency of growth (BEG), live weight, body weight gain and morphological measuraments of 16 buffalo female calves (age in days: 49.0 ±1.3) divided in two groups of feeding. The T group recieved a concentrate with 28.5 % of crude protein on the dry matter basis, while the C group recieved a concentrate with 21.0 % of crude protein on dry matter basis; moreover the concentrate of the T group presented an high quantity of non proteic nitrogen (NPN) (33% of crude protein). Blood samples for haematological parameters were collected. No differences in terms of growth, BEG, live weight, body weight gain and morphological measuraments were found. Only the nitrogen blood values in the T group resulted significatively higher then C group (8.53 mmol/L vs. 4.66 mmol/L, respectively). This study confirms the importance of protein source for the formulation of the starter concentrate.