Comparative performance of Angus cattle and swamp buffalo fed ad libitum either a lucerne hay and concentrate ration or pasture hay.

N.A. Thomson, A.F. Death, M.T. Power

Dairying Research Corporation, Hamilton, New Zealand

Proceedings of the New Zealand Society of Animal Production 1994, 54: 67-70

Voluntary intake and liveweight gain of Angus cattle (CAP) and swamp buffalo (B) were compared on 2 feeds; ad lib., lucerne hay (L) + 1 kg concentrate/animal/day (LC) and ad lib. pasture hay (P) in a 2 x 2 Latin square designed trial. The two hays had similar ME values; L, 8.5 and P 8.7 MJ/ME/kg DM, but differed (P<0.05) in protein content; L, 14.6% and P 10.1%. The concentrate was 13.5 MJ ME/kg DM and 14.1% protein. Animals were fed in a feed-lot with individual pens/treatment. Intake was assessed on a group basis for all treatments and individual animal intake was assessed for the P treatments only using slow release chromium capsules. Two, 4 week experimental periods were preceded by a 2 week feed adjustment period.

Liveweight gains showed a species x fed interaction (P<0.001) with individual treatment gains (kg/day) of; 0.80, -0.54, -0.02, -0.09 for CLC, CP, BLC, and BP groups respectively. Cattle consumed (group assessment) more (P<0.05) L Hay than buffalo; 127 vs 99 g DM/kg LWT0.75. The intake of P hay was similar for each species; 102 and 100 g DM/kg LWT0.75 for C and B respectively. The release of CR2O3 from the capsules were similar for the two species (1.56 g/day). Intakes of P hay assessed by the marker techniques differed (P<0.05); 100 and 88 g DM/kg LWT0.75 for the CP and BP treatments respectively.

The difference in performance of the two species on P may have been the result of the marginal (for cattle) protein levels. No explanation is given for the poor performance of buffalo on the LC ration.

Keywords: NZSAPAB; Angus cattle; swamp buffalo; voluntary intake; liveweight gain.

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Last Updated 25-01-1997