Production efficiency of Swamp buffaloes and Mehsana river buffaloes

Buffalo Bulletin (March 2012) Vol.31 No.1conditions using 24 females 18-36 months of agefor experimentation. They were divided into threegroups: Group 1 animals were grazed, Group 2were grazed and given roughage supplementationevery morning and evening, and Group 3 were penraised. The experiment lasted 120 days.In the second experiment, the productionefficiencies of Swamp buffaloes were studied underriver basin conditions. Nine males, 18-36 monthsof age, were divided into three groups. Group 1were grazed on land, Group 2 were grazed on landfor 4 h a day and in water for 4 h a day, and Group 3were grazed in water for 8 h a day. The experimentlasted 120 days.The data of the two experiments wereanalyzed statistically using analysis of variance ofrandomized complete block design to compare theaverages using Duncan’s new multiple range test.(Steel and Torrie, 1980).RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONThe production efficiency of Swamp buffaloesand Mehsana river buffaloes under ordinaryconditionsThe Production Effi ciency of Swamp buffaloesGroup 2 buffaloes, given roughagesupplementation, consumed 23.10 to 29.75 kg offresh roughage (Napier grass) a day, and Group 3buffaloes, raised in a pen, consumed 34.90 to 38.80kg of fresh roughage a day (13.20 percent bodyweight). These groups of buffaloes ate native grassand Napier grass, which are low in nutrients (Table1).Group 2 buffaloes, which were given someroughage supplementation, gained more weight andhad a higher rate of growth (P0.05) because they were at growthage and the amounts of food eaten were not verydifferent. This amount of feed could not produce adifference (Table 2).The production effi ciency of Mehsana riverbuffaloesThe buffaloes of Group 2, given roughagesupplementation, consumed 20-25 kg of freshroughage (Napier grass) a day while the pen-raisedGroup 3 buffaloes, ate 40 - 45 kg (12.82 percentbody weight) of fresh roughage a day. Thesebuffaloes ate Ruzi grass, which is low in nutrients.(Table 1)Group 1 buffaloes, raised by grazing, andGroup 2 buffaloes, raised by grazing with roughagesupplementation, gained more weight and had ahigher rate of growth (P0.05), but there wastendency for Group 3 buffaloes, raised in a pen, tohave a higher hearth girth than either the grazedGroup 1 of the grazed and supplemented Group 2.The average gains in body height of thebuffaloes of Groups 1 and 2 were greater (P