Performance of Crossbred Cattle (Ros Indicus L.) and Carabao (Bubalus Bubalis L.): I. Feed Intake, Digestibility and Growth

Jesus Rommel  V. Herrera,; Arnel  N. Del Barrio,; Rosalina  M. Lapitan,; Esteban Aldrin  H. Bisa,; Bernardo  R. Arenda,; J.  C. Canaria,

Performance of Crossbred Cattle (Ros Indicus L.) and Carabao (Bubalus Bubalis L.): I. Feed Intake, Digestibility and Growth

Discipline: Animal Science

Abstract:

The performance of 10 crossbred cattle and 10 crossbred carabaos, with each group having an average age of 22 months were evaluated in a 180-day feeding trial. The two groups of animals were fed at 3% of their live weight (LW) with the same ration consisting of corn silage (50%), brewer's spent grain (30%) and concentrate supplement (20%). The digestibilities of the different nutrients were likewise determined. The two species did not differ in voluntary dry matter intake (VDMI) when expressed as % of LW and metabolic BW (gDMI/Wkg 0.75), as well as in average daily gain (ADG). During the first feeding period (1-90 days), the ADG of carabao was 1,066g while that of cattle, 940g. In the second feeding period (91-180 days), the ADG were 630g in cattle and 591g in carabao. Except for crude protein, digestion coefficients of the different nutrients were similar in cattle and carabao. Total digestible nutrients (TDN) were 58.84% in cattle and 57.37% in carabao. The return over feed cost was comparable for crossbred cattle and carabao during the first 90 days of feeding. Overall return over feed cost was higher for cattle than for carabao for the whole feeding period. Results showed that crossbred carabao can attain growth rate similar to cattle under intensive system, using high quality feeds.