286
Berscem Hay for Dairy Cattle
TABLE XII
Comparative cost of production of milk with concentrates and concentrates replaced by berseem hay
Treatment
Full concentrates
50 per cent conc.
replaced
by
berseem
75 per cent conc.
replaced
by
berseem
Consump-
tion of
grass
hay
lb.
1876
1774
1617
Price
at
Rs. 0.6602
per 100
lb.
Rs.
8.58
8.11
7.40
Consump-
tion of
green
grass
lb.
878.2
875.6
871.6
Price
at.
Rs. 0.1524
per 100
lb.
Rs.
1.34
1.34
1.33
Consump-
tion of
berseem
hay
lb.
..
676.6
934.2
Price
at
Rs. 1.134
per 100
lb.
Rs.
..
7.67
10.59
Consump-
tion of
concen-
trates
lb.
818.3
413.2
192.7
Price
at
Rs. 2.591
per 100
lb.
Rs.
21.21
10.78
4.99
Total
cost
Rs.
31.13
27.90
24.31
Total
milk-
pro-
duced
lb.
1296
1312
1045
Price of
100 lb.
of
milk
Rs.
2.40
2.18
2.38
As in the case of the growth test the cost of
production of milk is maximum with the con-
centrates. The best result was obtained when
berseem hay replaced 50 per cent of the concen-
trates on the basis of protein. The data available
indicate that further replacement of concentrates
by berseem hay may not prove economical with
Murrah breed.
SUMMARY
Experiments were conducted to find out the
comparative feeding value of concentrate mixture
and concentrate mixture replaced by berseem hay
to the extent of 75 per cent on the basis of protein,
for growth and milk production. The effect on
growth was studied with Hissar and Murrah
(buffalo) heifers.
Though concentrate mixture is more efficacious
than berseem hay for growing heifers, satisfactory
rate of growth is obtained even when 75 per cent
of concentrate protein is replaced by hay protein.
With the increased replacement of concentrate
mixture by berseem hay the digestibility of protein
decreased, indicating lower digestibility of berseem
hay protein compared to the concentrate mixture.
For growth the nutrients of berseem hay appear
to be of lower value for the Murrah as compared
to the Hissar breed.
Results show that production of liveweight is
economical with both Hissar and Murrah breeds
when concentrate mixture is replaced by berseem
hay to the extent of 75 per cent.
The data obtained indicate that milk yield is
not affected if 50 per cent of concentrate protein
is replaced by berseem hay protein. Further re-
placement may give lower milk yield.
It appears that the composition of milk does not
vary when concentrates of the ration are replaced
by berseem hay.
The cost of production of milk is lower up to
50 per cent replacement of concentrates by berseem
hay.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Acknowledgement is due to the Imperial Council
of Agricultural Research for financing the Cattle
Feeding Research Scheme, United Provinces, which
offered scope for this work. The author thanks C.
Maya Das, Esq., I.A.S., Director of Agriculture,
United Provinces, for his sympathy and keen
interest, and the Deputy Director of Agriculture,
Bundelkhand Circle, Jhansi, for providing all the
facilities.
The author also acknowledges, with
thanks, the help received from Dr S. K. Mukerji
and Dr R. R. Agarwal, Research Assistants.
Thanks are also due to Messrs. H. P. Srivastava
and G. S. Dutta, Assistants, for looking after the
experimental animals throughout the trials.
REFERENCES
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Caldwell, R. E. (1913). Ohio Bull. 267
Das Gupta, N. C. (1943). Indian J. Vet. Sci. and Anim.
Husb. 13, 196
Fraser, W. J. and Hayden, C. C. (1910). Ill. Bull. 146
Hart, E. B. and Humphrey, G. C. (1919). J. Biol. Chem.
38, 515
Hart, E. B. and Humphrey, G. C. (1920.) Ibid, 44, 189
Hayden, C. C. (1918). Ohio Bull. 327
Henderson, G. S. (1916). Agric. Res. Inst. Pusa, Bull. 66
Morrison, F. B. (1936). Feeds and Feeding, 20th edition,
1004
Relwani, L. L. (1919). Dep. Agric. Bombay, Bull. 91
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