Feeding Effect of Triticale Fodder as Replacement of Straw on Production Performance of Dairy Cows

Twenty lactating cows of two to five parity having an average live weight of 290.00 to 330.00 kg and an average milk production of 4.54 kg/head/day to 4.66 kg/head/day were selected from the Central Cattle breeding Station and Dairy Farm. The four dietary treatment were： SlooTo （Straw 100： Triticale 0 as control）; $5oT5o （Straw 50： Triticale 50）; $25T75 （Straw 25： Triticale 75） and SoTloo （Straw 0： Triticale 100）. It was observed that the roughage dry matter intake （DMI） （2.61 ~ 0.07 kg） in percent live weight was significantly （P 〈 0.05） higher in $25T75 and the lowest （1.76 ~ 0.018 kg） in the control group （SlooTo） and the differences were significant among the dietary treatments except $5oT5o and SoTloo. The total DMI was significantly （P 〈 0.05） higher in SoT^oo （13.36 i 0.13 kg） followed by $25T75, $5oT5o and SlooTo, respectively. The digestibility of crude protein （CP） was slightly higher in $25T75 （75.48 ~ 0.96） compared to SoTtoo （75.31 ~ 1.45） and the difference was non-significant （P 〉 0.05）. Milk production was significantly （P 〈 0.05） the highest in $5oT5o and the lowest in SlooTo followed by SoTloo, $25T75, respectively. The percent increased in milk yield was also the highest in $5oT5o （67.68%） and the lowest in SlooTo （28.85%）. The 4% fat corrected milk was also significantly （P 〈 0.05） higher in $5oT5o followed by SoTloo, $25T75 and SlooTo, respectively. Therefore, it can be concluded that triticale and straw at a ratio of 50：50 may be fed for better production performance of dairy cows.

Effect of Concentrate to Roughage Ratio on Cost Effective Growth Performance of Brahman Crossbred Calves

An experiment was conducted to evaluate the growth performance and cost per gain of Brahman × local crossbred bull calves receiving three diets with varying concentrate to roughage ratio （C：R） of 75：25, 65：35 and 55：45 on dry matter （DM） basis. Twelve bull calves （aging 11.5 ±1.2 months and 170.8 ± 13.0 kg live weight） divided into three equal groups were fed on three diets. The diets were balanced to 14.5% crude protein （CP） level and 10.5 MJ metabolizable energy （ME） per kg DM, formulating different concentrate mixtures. German grass （Echinoclora grousgali） and paddy straw were offered at 2：1 ratio on DM basis as roughages. The results revealed that C：R ratio did not affect （P 〉 0.05） the intake of feed and nutrients, feed efficiency （7.04, 6.94 and 6.76） and average daily gain （981,958 and 976 g）. Digestibility of nutrients was not affected （P 〉 0.05） by C：R. Animals fed diet with C：R = 55：45 had the lowest feed cost （Bangladeshi Taka 136.8 BDT/kg live weight gain）, which was increased （147.5 B DT and 153.8 BDT） non-significantly （P 〉 0.05） with the increasing level of concentrate. The diet consisting of 55% concentrate mixture showed similar results with the diet consisting of 75% concentrate mixture, but was comparatively economic. Therefore, considering the growth performance and cost per kg gain of Brahman crossbred growing calves, it may be concluded that the diet consisting of 55：45 C：R may be used for economic beef production.