Intake, digestibility, milk yield and composition of lactating buffaloes fed rations supplemented with corn gluten meal as natural protected protein source

Abstract EN

Six lactating multiparous Buffaloes of 480 ± 27(kg) body weight after their peak of lactation were served in this study.

Three rations nominated as T1, T2 and T3 were formulated to meet 100, 110 and 115 % of the buffalo's metabolisable protein (MP) requirements according to AFRC,1993 recommendations.

Corn gluten meal (CGM) as a natural rumen protected protein source was added to the concentrate mixture (CM) to meet this increment in dietary MP.

The control concentrate mixture (CM,T1) contained 30.80 % wheat bran, 23.32 % yellow corn,17.60 % soybean meal, 11 % sorghum straw,8.89 % un decorticated cotton seed meal, 5.19 % Ca-salt of palm fatty acids (as ruminal protected fat),2.2 % calcium carbonate and 1 % sodium chloride.

Rice straw as dry roughage and barseem (Trifolium alexandrinum) as green forage were offered as roughage source.

Corn gluten meal supplementation significantly (P<0.05) increased total dry matter intake(TDMI),dry matter, organic matter and crude protein digestibility's (DMD, OMD and CPD).

The total digestible nutrients values (TDN) of the three tested rations were not significantly differed.

The figures were 730.8, 738.2 and 743.1 g / kg for T1,T2 and T3 respectively.

Actual milk yield and 7% fat corrected milk yield (7% FCM) were significantly (P < 0.05) increased when T2 and T3 were fed in comparison with feeding T1 (the control ration).

The values were 11.01,12.25 and 12.09 kg 7% FCM / day.

Supplementation of CGM significantly (P < 0.05) increased milk protein concentrations and yield.

The Concentrations were 41.5, 44.0 and 44.7 g protein / kg milk while, the yields were 0.41, 0.50 and 0.52 kg / day for T1, T2 and T3 respectively.

Yield of milk fat and lactose were also significantly (P < 0.05) increased.

It could be included that Supplementation of CGM in amount that represent 10 % above the AFRC,1993 recommendations for MP of dairy cattle positively improved intake, digestibility and milk production.