Milk yield and quality of crossbred and indigenous boran cows fed on different levels of energy diets

Abstract

Different levels of energy feed supplemented and assessed for nutrient intake, milk yield, quality, and weight changes of cross-bred (Holstein Frisian × Boran) and indigenous Boran dairy cows. The experimental cows are with an average body weight of 439.55 10.41 kg and milk yield of 8.07±0.61 liter/ day; 250±1.71kg, and 2.21±0.42 liter/ day for cross-bred and Boran respectively. Treatment diets are T1=1*metabolizable energy (ME), T2=1.25*ME, T3=1.5*ME, and T4=1.75*ME. There was a significant difference (p < 0.05) in milk yield, but no differences in milk composition. There was a significant difference in average body weight changes among treatments T1= -30.40± 11.4; T3 and T4= -6.00± 11.4 kg. However, there were no weight changes for cows fed on T2. It can be concluded that treatment diets containing 1.5 * and 1.75 × ME intake increase milk yield by 11% and 26% for cross-bred and, by 20% and 24% for indigenous Boran cows.