Nutrients intake, physiological and behavioral pattern in cross-bred cow as influenced by different feed supplements during winter

Abstract

A study was conducted on the fifteen lactating cross-bred for 90 days during winter. Cows were divided into three groups on basis of their milk yield/day and subjected to three dietary treatments were formulated with feed supplements. i.e. concentrate mixture (T1), concentrate mixture + UMMB (T2) and concentrate mixture + Azolla (T3) and the studied for nutrient intake, their physiological and behavioral pattern of crossbred cows. Average maximum and minimum temperature (oC) was 23.470±0.301 and 13.044±0.334 in closed barn. The averages DMI on 100 kg body weight were 2.734+0.189, 2.940+0.168 and 2.837+0.212 kg in T1, T2 and T3, respectively. The mean DCPI & TDNI on 100kg body weight were 0.183±0.021, 0.210±0.018 and 0.190±0.024 & 1.814±0.072, 1.958±0.182 and 1.840±0.144kg in T1, T2 and T3 group’s cows, respectively. The rectal temperature and respiration rate was not significantly affected (P