Effect of supplementing rumen protected niacin on feed intake and body weight in growing Jaffarabadi buffalo heifers

Abstract

An experiment was conducted on 12 Jaffarabadi buffalo heifers to evaluate the effect of Rumen?Protected Niacin (RPN) supplementation on feed intake and body weight. The animals were divided equally into two groups (T0 and T1; n?=?6) based on initial body weight. The control group (T0) was fed a basal diet to meet nutrient requirements according to ICAR (2013) feeding standards, while the treatment group (T1) received the same basal diet supplemented with RPN at 10 g/day for a 90?day experimental period. Feed intake was recorded daily, and Dry Matter Intake (DMI) was calculated at fifteen?day intervals in terms of kg/day, kg/100 kg BW, and g/kg W0.75. Body weight was also recorded at fifteen?day intervals to assess growth performance. At the end of the experiment, average DMI was 6.06?±?0.18 and 5.80?±?0.15 kg/day; 2.64?±?0.10 and 2.54?±?0.13 kg/100 kg BW; and 102.64?±?2.56 and 98.59?±?3.55 g/kg W0.75 in the control and treatment groups, respectively. Final body weights were 232.00 ± 15.67 and 231.33?±?13.73 kg, with net body weight changes of 48.33?±?4.06 and 48.83?±?2.06 kg in the control and treatment groups, respectively. The overall Average Daily Gain (ADG) was 537.04?±?45.15 and 542.59?±?22.85 g/day in the control and treatment groups, respectively. Statistical analysis revealed no significant (p>0.05) differences between groups in DMI, final body weight, body weight change, or ADG, indicating that supplementation of RPN at 10 g/day did not influence feed intake or growth performance in growing Jaffarabadi buffalo heifers.