Vol. 10, Special Issue 7 (2021)

Author(s):
Kamalahasan K and Sabin George

Abstract:
The present study was conducted to evaluate the health and haemato-biochemical performance of feeding different milk replacers in crossbred calves. Eighteen healthy crossbred calves both male and female around one week of age were selected and randomly divided into three groups of six each (T1, T2, and T3), as uniformly as possible with regard to age, sex, and body weight. The calves of T1 received whole milk as per routine farm practice, T2 group was offered whole milk plus commercial milk replacer as per manufacturers recommendation and T3 group was offered a formulated milk replacer @ 12.5 per cent of body weight. All the calves received ad libitum green fodder. First fortnight Faecal Consistency Score (FCS) in T1, T2 and T3 was 1.26±0.03, 1.23±0.05 and 1.26±0.07 and was 1.41±0.22, 1.56±0.14 and 1.36 in respective groups in the second fortnights. In the last fortnight FCS was 1.07±0.05, 1.02±0.02 and 1.00±0 in T1, T2 and T3 experiment group. The faecal score was initially high followed by a decreasing trend. The mean faecal consistency score had no significant difference among the treatment group. The values of hematological parameters for treatment groups T1, T2 and T3 recorded at the end of the experiment were Haemoglobin (Hb:g/dl) 8.31±0.36, 8.91±0.31 and 8.98±0.52, Blood urea nitrogen (BUN:mg/dl) 23.58±0.94, 21.47±0.35 and 21.42±1.77, Plasma total protein (g/dl) 6.48±0.11, 6.59±0.15, and 6.46±0.21, Glucose (mg/dl) 65.33±1.46, 64.19±0.99, and 64.96±0.59, Calcium (mg/dl) 9.64±0.09, 9.56±0.63 and 9.67±0.44, Phosphorus(mg/dl) 6.77±0.15, 6.22±0.33 and 6.18±0.14 respectively. Statistical analysis revealed no significant difference in blood parameters during initial and final stage of the experiments. It was concluded that rising of crossbred calves fed with milk replacers was not impact the health of crossbred calves.