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Matching Livestock Systems with Available Resources |
MEKARN Regional Conference 2007 |
Sixty pregnant buffalo cows 6-8 years of age with body weight of about 350 kg were used in the experiment to evaluate the effects of supplementation of cassava leaf meal (CLM) before and after calving on birth weight, growth rate of calves and body weight change of buffalo cows. The experimental animals were allocated into four groups (15 each) with a randomized block design. CLM was supplemented 1 kg/day per head as follow: two months before and after calving (2A2B), two months before calving (2B); two months after calving (2A) and control no supplement (C).
Calf birth weight of 2A2B was similar to 2B (25.8 and 25.2 kg) but higher than 2A and C (23.5 and 23.2 kg); the body weight at 3 months of age was highest in 2A2B (70.0 kg) and higher than 2B, 2A (62.5 and 62.8 kg) and lowset in C (57.3 kg). At 3 months after calving all cows lost weight compared to that at 2 months before calving (22.6, 32.0, 36.6 and 45.4 kg for 2A2B, 2B, 2A and C group respectively.
It is concluded that supplementation of CLM before and after calving improved the body weight of buffalo cow, birth weight and growth rate of calves, reduced loss of body weight and recovery time of buffalo cows.