Analysing the Effect of Silage Feeding on Blood Metabolities of Different Producing Murrah Buffaloes

Maize is well known as the important green fodder resource in dairy farming system across the globe. At the same time, farmers routinely make silage out of the surplus maize fodder for reducing their fodder crisis. Since maize is abundantly cultivated by the dairy farmers for dual purpose (green fodder and silage making), it is imperative to study their impact on animal production and various blood metabolites.

The current experiment was carried out on mid-lactation buffaloes, which were divided into four groups based on their body weight and milk yield. The first two classes are low-production animals that are fed non-legume feed, wheat straw and silage. Similarly, the final two are high-producing groups that are given the similar diet. The concentrate and silage ratios were fed at 40:60 in the form of Total Mixed Ration (TMR) for the II and IV groups. Similarly, the ratio of concentrates to green fodder was 40:60 in Groups I and II.

Significant results were obtained for NEFA and BUN levels in between the high and low-producing groups (P<0.05). Various biochemical tests like glucose, protein, albumin, globulin and creatinine levels have shown no significant difference (P>0.05). It was seen that silage feeding in different producing groups maintained the concentration of various blood profiles up to the basal levels.