Effect of supplementary feeding of fresh azolla (Azolla pinnata) on dry matter intake and digestibility of lactating cows

Abstract

The present investigation entitled “Effect of Supplementary Feeding of Fresh Azolla (Azolla Pinnata) on The Dry Matter Intake and Digestibility of Lactating Cows” was undertaken in the Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairy Science, Dr. P.D.K.V. Akola, Maharashtra. The present investigation was carried out with the main objective to effect of Azolla feeding on dry matter intake and digestibility to standard methods of statistical analysis and presented in this chapter in the forms of tables with the implications of the results to the impacts of Azolla feeding on dry matter intake and digestibility in cows. For this purpose, 20 lactating cattle of were selected for study and randomly distributed into four groups. The control (T1) group practice was fed, soyabean straw, Hybrid Napier (Grass) and concentrates whereas treatment (T2) group was fed same quantity of roughage, concentrate along with 1kg fresh Azolla/cattle/day, (T3) group was fed same quantity of roughage, concentrate along with 1.5kg fresh Azolla/cattle/day, (T4) group was fed same quantity of roughage, concentrate along with 2kg fresh Azolla/cattle/day, (T5) group was fed same quantity of roughage, concentrate along with 2.5 kg fresh Azolla/cattle/day. The feeding trial tasted for four months. During trial daily feed intake and water intake of animal was recorded and found the feed intake was significantly higher in treatment group Also digestibility was significantly higher in treatment group. The cows from azolla incorporated group received significantly more DMI and digestibility over that of control (T1) group. The average DMI was 8.508, 8.648, 8.706, 8.963 and 8.917 kg/day/cow in T1, T2, T3, T4 and T5 groups respectively.