N. C. DAS GUPTA 199
The statistical analyses of the data show that
the variation due to feed is highly significant, the
growth rate being 9.78, 6.46 and 5.17 lb. per week
respectively for full concentrate and the concent-
rate replaced to the extent of 50 and 75 per cent
by berseem on the basis of protein, standard error
being ± 0.52. The results corroborate the obser-
vations of the previous test—T 1 > T 2 = T 3 .
Variation in the rate of growth of Hissar and Murrah
breed
To study the growth rate of the different breeds,
the results of statistical analyses of both the tests
have been summarized below:—
—
Experiment I
Experiment II
Hissar Murrah Mean Standard
error
Rate of growth per week
6.86
6.21
9.37
8.06
8.11
7.14
0.193
0.410
It is evident from the above that the average
rate of increase in liveweight of Murrah breed is
significantly higher than that of Hissar breed.
This is expected, as normally a mature Murrah
buffalo is heavier than Hissar cattle by about 300
lb. and the period of growth is nearly the same for
both the breeds.
Comparative feeding value of berseem for Hissar and
Murrah heifers
In the first experiment, it was noted that the
variation due to interaction (Breed × Feed) is
significant. This indicates that the food value of
berseem is not the same for the two breeds. For
a comparison of the effect of berseem on the breeds,
the average weekly rate of growth of the two
breeds under different treatments in experiment I
obtained from statistical analysis, has been sum-
marized below :—
—
Rate of growth per
week for Murrah (lb.)
Rate of growth per
week for Hissar (lb.)
Difference (lb.) .
Per cent less increase
by Hissar
T 1
12.68
8.24
4.44
53
T 2
7.65
5.90
1.75
30
T 3
7.78
6.44
1.34
21
Standard
error
0.335
..
..
As the rate of increase in liveweight of the
Murrah breed is higher, the average gain per week
with full concentrate ration was 4.44 lb. more than
that of Hissar, which had about 53 per cent less
increase. But when part of the concentrate was
replaced by berseem, it was not possible for
Murrahs to keep up this comparatively higher rate
of growth. In the second and the third treat-
ments, the difference in the weekly gain was only
1.75 and 1.34 lb. showing only 30 and 21 per cent
less gain by the Hissar breed. The variation due
to interaction in the second experiment is not
significant. This difference due to the effect of
berseem on the two breeds can also be observed
when the actual liveweight increases of the two
breeds under different treatments are compared.
During the first experiment the average growth
of a Hissar under the three treatments was 155,
122 and 125 lb., the daily growth being 1.30, 1.03
and 1.05 lb. respectively, while Murrah increased
184, 131 and 115 lb. in liveweight, showing an
average daily gain of 1.55, 1.10 and 0.97 lb.
respectively. In the second test, the daily gain
for a Hissar was 1.34, 0.86 and 0.76 lb. the cor-
responding gain for a Murrah being 1.49, 1.10 and
0.73 lb.
Both with full concentrate and with 50 per cent
replacement of protein equivalent by berseem, the
average daily gain is higher for Murrah buffaloes,
but this is not the case when the source of protein
supplement is mainly berseem. It is of interest to
note that in the latter case the actual growth of
Murrah is lower, being 0.97 lb. per day as com-
pared to 1.05 lb. for Hissar in the first test and
0.73 against 0.76 in the second test. This may
be due to the difference either in the intake of total
dry matter, in the digestibility of the total feed or
in the biological value of the nutrients for the two
breeds.
Food consumption during the trials
The experimental ration consisted of wheat
straw ad lib, the same quantity of jowar silage for
all the animals and concentrate mixture, the quan-
tity being adjusted according to the liveweight.
The average intake per day of the different feeds
by an animal of the three treatments, and also the
total intake of protein and starch equivalent by
the animals during the tests have been recorded in
Table III.
Tables IV and V show the average composition
of the feeds.