Abstract

To assess the effect of supplementation of maize and soy lecithin on digestibility of nutrients and birth weight of calves, a feeding experiment was carried out in cross bred cows during late gestation from the eighth month of pregnancy till the date of calving. Fifteen crossbred cattle at eighth month of pregnancy were selected from cattle breeding farm, Thumboormuzhy and were allotted to three dietary treatments (T1, T2 and T3). Selected animals were offered a diet consisting of concentrate mixture (CP- 20 per cent and TDN – 68 per cent) and green grass (ICAR, 2013). Along with this diet, T2 was supplemented with maize (500g/animal/day) and T3 was supplemented with soy lecithin (210g/animal/day), maintaining the diets T2 and T3 isocaloric. A digestibility trial for a period of five days was carried out three weeks after initiation of experiment by total collection method.  Digestibility of dry matter, crude protein, crude fiber, ether extract and fiber fractions were similar among the groups however, the digestibility of nitrogen free extract was higher (P<0.05) in energy supplemented groups (T2 and T3). Birth weight of calves born to animals supplemented with maize (T2) was higher compared to calves born in other treatment groups (T1 and T3). The study revealed that supplementation of energy in the form of ground maize or soy lecithin to cross bred dairy cows from eighth month of pregnancy significantly improved the digestibility of non-structural carbohydrates in the diet and maize supplementation of the dam during late gestation could improve the birth weight of calves.

Keywords : Soy lecithin, maize, digestibility, calf birth weight