Evaluation of hydroponics fodder as a partial feed substitute in the ration of crossbred calves

An experiment was conducted to evaluate the effect of maize green fodder produced by hydroponics system on the performance of eighteen weaned crossbred calves and Calves were divided into three groups T₁, T₂ and T₃ of six each as uniformly. The calf starter in dietary treatments T₁, T₂ and T₃ contained 24, 20 and 17 per cent of Crude Protein (CP), respectively and 70 per cent Total Digestible Nutrients (TDN). The T₂ and T₃ treatments were made iso-nitrogenous with T₁ by supplementing hydroponics maize fodder. The results obtained in the present study showed significant difference among different treatment groups regarding Dry matter intake (DM), total body weight gain, Average daily gain (ADG) and Feed conversion ratio (FCR) with a higher (P<0.05) values observed for calves belonging to T₃ than groups T₁ and T₂. Data on digestibility of nutrients does not reveal anydifference(P>0.05) among treatment groups. Cost per kg gain wassignificantly (P<0.05) lower in T₃ (Rs.102.14) than groups T₂ (Rs. 111.64) and T₁ (Rs. 119.82). On conclusion, feeding of hydroponics maize fodder as a partial feed substitute of calf starter on protein basis at seven per cent level improves the DM intake, total body weight gain, ADG and lowers the cost per kg body weight gain.