Mineral-Vitamin Combining Versus Herbal Supplementationto Enhance Performance Ongole Crossbred Bull

Abstract

Excellent performance of bull as sperm producer was needed to maintain and increase the high pregnancy cows rate.The study aimed to determine the effect of mineral-vitamin combining [MVC] and herbs supplementing [HS]on feed intake, feed efficiency, average daily gain[ADG], linear body, semen quality and B/C ratio of OngoleCrossbred bull. Eight animals [aged 3 to 5 years] within initial weight 505.2 ± 70.5 kg were examined. They were grouped in two feed regimes, firstly, the basal diet was given with the inclusion of Vitamin A, E and Zinc-minerals [P1] and secondly, were basal diet plus herbs supplementation [P2]. The basal diet consisted of elephant grass, gliricidia, and commercial concentrates. Feeding was assigned to dry matter[DM] of 3% of body weight [BW] to meet the balance nutrient intake. The experimental which conducted as long as three months, was designed in two treatments and four replicates. Data analysed by using the T-test. There was no significant different between P1 and P2 in the results on feed intake, efficiency, ADG, and linear body. However, the sperm concentration of P1 [1,366.7 ± 768.9 million/ml] was higher[P<0.05] than those of P2 [873,3 ± 488.7 million/ml]. Meanwhile, the sperm viability of P1[90.4 ± 8.5%] was also higher than that of P2 [78.7 ± 16.2%]. Both P1 and P2 were recommended for being usedcommercially [due to requirement of Indonesia National Standard/SNI 4869-1:2017], but the P1 was the efficient one in regards of the B/C ratios.