NationalLibraryOfScotland/medical-history-of-british-india huggingface dataset:
164
EFFECT OF DIFFERENT FODDERS IN SAHIWAL COWS
[Vol. XXIII, Part III,
TABLE XXII
Average daily assimilation and percentage assimilation of sodium
Cows
Lenjurki
Larajbani
Haskila
Yulamati
Mean
Total assimilation of Na 2 O (gms/day)
Un-
manured
berseem
17.11
14.77
8.43
9.77
12.52
Manured
berseem
22.11
14.04
20.67
10.58
16.85
Lucerne
—16.72
1.88
7.68
—13.95
—5.28
Jowar
silage
and hay
4.32
—11.71
1.13
4.40
—0.47
Assimilation per cent of the intake
Un-
manured
berseem
16.52
15.81
7.77
9.02
12.28
Manured
berseem
19.40
15.53
16.65
9.80
15.35
Lucerne
—29.16
3.34
13.31
—24.50
—9.26
Jowar
silage
and hay
7.9
—23.5
1.64
8.79
—1.30
It would appear from Table XXII that the highest amount of intake of Na 2 O
was 109.04 gm. during the manured berseem period. The amounts present during
unmanured berseem period was 103.77 gm., during lucerne period 57.09 gm. and
during jowar silage period 57.79 gm. The amount of intake during the latter two
periods was very much lower, because the fodders silage and hay contained only
5.56 gm. and lucerne 4.13 gm. while unmanured and manured berseem had 56.44 gm.
and 52.69 gm. respectively. The average daily assimilation during manured berseem
period was 16.85 gm.; during unmanured berseem period it was 12.52 gm. During
the lucerne and silage period there was no utilization of sodium and in three cows
out of four, more sodium was excreted in the urine and faeces, than was injested in
the feed.
TABLE XXIII
Average balance of Na 2 O (grams per day) during various periods
Cows
Lenjurki
Larajbani
Haskila
Yulamati
Total
Period I
A
+ 10.64
B
+7.57
C
—0.29
D
—1.69
+ 16.23
Period II
B
+ 14.60
C
—4.47
D
—4.82
A
+ 4.22
+9.53
Period III
C
—25.55
D
—18.61
A
+3.53
B
+4.95
—35.68
Period IV
D
—1.40
A
+8.55
B
+ 14.00
C
—19.90
+1.25
Total
—1.71
—6.96
+ 12.42
—12.42
—8.67
September, 1953] M. L. MATHUR AND S. V. DESAI 165
The analysis of the average balances of sodium showed that the fodders were
highly significant. The balances of sodium oxide during the various fodders supple-
mented with salt are given in Table XXIV.
TABLE XXIV
Average balances of sodium in different treatments (fodders)
Treatments
Uumanured berseem
Manured berseem
Green lucerne
Jowar silage and hay
Average balances
+6.74
+ 10.28
—12.55
—6.63
Critical difference at five per cent 11.23
Manured and unmanured berseem were superior to lucerne or silage for maintain-
ing sodium equilibrium. Manured berseem was the best for maintaining balances,
Between unmanured and manured berseem and also between lucerne and silage
there were no significant differences.
Assimilation of potassium
The average daily intake of K 2 O and the part present in fodders only in the
different cows during the various periods is consolidated in Table XXV.
TABLE XXV
Average daily intake of K 2 O and the part present in fodders only
Cows
Lenjurki
Larajbani
Haskila
Yulamati
Mean
Average intake of K 2 O (gm. per day)
Un-
manured
berseem
196.50
198.23
253.65
216.83
216.30
Manured
berseem
187.69
178.66
199.48
193.27
189.77
Lucerne
256.68
229.77
214.11
216.91
229.36
Jowar
silage
and hay
303.68
280.89
325.18
221.76
282.87
Average K 2 O in fodders (gm. per day)
Un-
manured
berseem
112.96
102.20
140.78
118.50
118.61
Manured
berseem
99.72
96.17
90.13
103.27
97.32
Lucerne
148.50
117.22
117.69
117.80
125.30
Jowar
silage
and hay
209.13
192.96
219.33
137.80
189.80
166
EFFECT OF DIFFERENT FODDERS IN SAHIWAL COWS
[Vol. XXIII, Part III,
The total average assimilation of K 2 O and the percentage assimilation is given
in Table XXVI.
TABLE XXVI
Average assimilation and percentage assimilation of K 2 O
Cows
Lenjurki
Larajbani
Haskila
Yulamati
Mean
Total assimilation of K 2 O (gm. per day)
Un-
manured
berseem
35.61
30.48
33.92
26.53
31.63
Manured
berseem
6.39
25.89
37.09
27.68
24.26
Lucerne
37.42
29.71
37.39
31.26
33.94
Jowar
silage
and hay
46.05
33.64
32.69
28.70
35.27
Percentage assimilation of the intake of K 2 O
Un-
manured
berseem
18.12
15.38
13.37
12.23
14.77
Manured
berseem
3.40
14.49
18.59
14.32
12.70
Lucerne
14.58
12.93
17.70
14.41
14.90
Jowar
silage
and hay
13.39
11.98
10.05
12.94
12.09
The highest assimilation of 35.27 gm. was during the jowar silage period while
during the lucerne period it was 33.94 gm., during unmanured berseem period 31.63
gm. and during manured berseem period 24.26 gm. After an optimum intake of
potassium in the feed, further increase does not improve assimilation or increase
the positive balance is quite clearly shown in Tables XXV to XXVIII. With an
intake of 216.3 gm. the assimilation was 31.6 gm. When it was increased to 282.9
gm. by feeding hay the assimilation was 35.3 gm., i.e. with an increase of 66.6 gm.
K 2 O in feed, the assimilation improved by 3.7 gm. Similarly the balance in the
intake of 216.3 gm. was +9.9 and with 282.9 it was 10.8 thereby improving the
balance by 0.9 gm. only. Thus it appears that about 200 gm. K 2 O in the feed of
high milking cow is sufficient to maintain positive balance.
TABLE XXVII
Average balance of K 2 O (grams per day) during the various periods
Cows
Lenjurki
Larajbani
Haskila
Yulamati
Total
Period I
A
+ 15.35
B
+5.73
C
+ 11.40
D
+8.81
+41.29
Period II
B
—18.35
C
+ 11.22
D
+7.44
A
+7.10
+7.40
Period III
C
+9.41
D
+ 12.72
A
+6.86
B
+3.78
+32.77
Period IV
D
+ 14.14
A
+ 10.32
B
+ 11.70
C
+8.61
+44.77
Total
+20.55
+39.99
+37.40
+28.30
+ 126.24
September, 1953]
M.
L.
MATHUR
AND
S.V.
DESAI
167
TABLE XXVIII
Balance of K 2 O in different fodders
Treatments
Unmanured berseem
Manured berseem
Lucerne
Jowar silage
Balance of K 2 O
9.90
0.72
10.16
10.77
The analysis of variance of average balance of K 2 O showed that fodders, cows
and periods were not significant at five per cent level and the error was high.
SODIUM : POTASSIUM RATIO
The importance of sodium : potassium ratio in influencing the assimilation of
these elements, specially sodium, has received some recognition for some time past.
Few workers have mentioned the effect of high or low Na : K ratio on the assimilation
of these minerals in the course of their metabolic experiments. Bunge [1873]
showed that an excessive ingestion of potassium salts cause an elimination of sodium
and chlorine. The farm animals generally take large quantities of green forage
which contains little of sodium and more of potassium. Thus the intake of potassium
is high and that of sodium less, resulting in an unbalanced Na : K ratio in the diet.
This is of importance in practical feeding of farm animals, because a depletion of
sodium and chlorine tend to react unfavourably on the animals. Hart, et al. [1911],
have however shown that Bunge's theory was not complete. They found in the
case of different groups of animals, fed on rations of different cereals but all having
free excess of salts, that the amount of sodium chloride consumed bore no relation
to the potassium contents of the ration, either when used alone or when supple-
mented with potassium salts.
Table gives the Na 2 O : K 2 O ratio during the various periods and in the fodders
in the course of the present investigations.
TABLE XXIX
Na 2 O : K 2 O ratio in the fodders during various periods
Cows
Lenjurki
Larajbani
Haskila
Yulamati
Mean
Ratio Na 2 O : K 2 O In the feed
Un-
manured
berseem
1 : 1.89
1 : 2.09
1 : 2.34
1 : 2.00
1 : 2.08
Manured
berseem
1 : 1.65
1 : 1.97
1 : 1.60
1 : 1.78
1 : 1.75
Lucerne
1 : 4.47
1 : 4.07
1 : 3.70
1 : 3.81
1 : 4.01
Jowar
silage and
lucerne
hay
1 : 5.56
1 : 5.59
1 : 4.71
1 : 3.98
1 : 4.98
Ratio Na 2 O : K 2 O in the fodders only
Un-
manured
berseem
1 : 1.75
1 : 2.13
1 : 2.26
1 : 2.23
1 : 2.09
Manured
berseem
1 : 1.55
1 : 2.19
1 : 1.94
1 : 1.83
1 : 1.88
Lucerne
1 : 36.57
1 : 21.83
1 : 26.38
1 : 44.45
1 : 32.31
Jowar
silage
and lucerne
hay
1 : 54.75
1 : 34.33
1 : 26.10
1 : 30.97
1 : 36.54
5 AR/53.
168 EFFECT OF DIFFERENT FODDERS IN SAHIWAL COWS
[Vol. XXIII, Part III,
The sodium: potassium ratio in the diet in manured berseem period was 1.75, in
unmanured berseem period 2.08, in lucerne period 4.01 and in jowar silage period
4.98. From the figures given for average balances of Na 2 O in different fodder
periods, it would appear that positive balances were maintained during the manured
and unmanured berseem periods and negative balances during the lucerne and
silage periods. The sodium : potassium ratio during former periods is much less,
i.e. almost half of that during the latter periods. When the potassium was four to
five times in the diet, almost all the sodium found its way in faeces and urine.
The ratio of 1.75 in the diet during manured berseem period appeared to favour
the maximum assimilation. In the two cows, where the ratio was lower than 1.75,
the assimilation was much better. In Lenjurki, during the manured berseem
period, the ratio was 1.65 and the total assimilation was 22.11 gm., i.e. 19.4 per
cent of the intake. In the cow Haskila during the same period, when the ratio was
1.60 the total assimilation was 20.67 gm., i.e. 16.65 per cent of the intake. In the
cows Larajbani and Yulamati, during the same manured berseem period, the ratios
were higher 1.97 and 1.78 and the assimilation was lower, i.e. 14.04 and 10.58 gm,
respectively. This indicated that excess of potassium in the diet influenced the
elimination of sodium, thereby corroborating the observations made by Bunge.
The necessity to supplement the lucerne and jowar silage fodders with enough
sodium chloride in the diet to correct the ratio was quite apparent.
Assimilation of chlorine
The average intake of total chlorine during the feeding of various fodders and
part of the intake of chlorine present in the various fodders fed to different cows are
given in Table XXX.
TABLE XXX
Total intake of chlorine and the part present in the fodders
Cows
Lanjurki
Larajbani
Haskila
Yulamati
Average
Total intake of chlorine
(gm.per day)
Un-
manured
berseem
100.17
125.39
167.05
124.18
129.19
Manured
berseem
118.87
94.05
124.33
124.70
115.48
Lucerne
114.01
99.83
97.27
103.89
103.75
Jowar
silage
and hay
116.72
106.31
128.28
98.65
112.49
Chlorine intake in fodders
(gm.per day)
Un-
manured
berseem
41.61
51.00
77.51
49.85
54.99
Manured
berseem
49.47
32.75
35.89
49.94
42.01
Lucerne
33.55
23.61
21.97
26.08
26.31
Jowar
silage
and hay
42.93
34.91
43.61
28.47
37.48
September, 1953] M. L. MATHUR AND S. V. DESAI 169
The average total assimilation and. the percentage assimilation have been shown
in Table XXXI.
TABLE XXXI
Total assimilation and assimilation percentage of chlorine
Cows
Lenjurki
Larajbani
Haskila
Yulamati
Average
Tota1 Assimilation of chlorine
(gm. per day)
Un-
manured
berseem
1314
17.62
18.41
20.78
17.48
Manured
berseem
11.39
13.79
15.74
15.11
14.00
Lucerne
12.56
17.48
17.14
16.51
15.92
Jowar
silage and
lucerne
hay
16.64
16.32
18.35
21.41
18.18
Assimilation percentage of the intake
(gm. per day)
Un-
manured
berseem
13.11
14.05
11.02
16.58
13.67
Manured
berseem
9.57
14.79
12.65
12.11
12.28
Lucerne
11.02
17.51
17.62
15.89
15.51
Jowar
silage and
lucerne
hay
14.26
15.65
14.30
21.70
16.47
The greatest assimilation of 18.18 gm. occurred, when the total intake was
112.49 gm. chlorine. When the ingested amount was 103.75 gm. the assimilation
was 15.92 gm. This showed that assimilation increased with the intake but it was
not true after a limit. Thus with an intake of 129.19 gm. the assimilation was only
17.48 gm., i.e. with an increase of 25.44 gm. in the intake, the assimilation increased
by 1.56 gm. only.
The average total balances during the various periods are given in Table XXXII.
TABLE XXXII
Average balance of chlorine (grams per day) during the various periods
Cows
Lenjurki
Larajbani
Haskila
Yulamati
Total
Period I
A
+2.40
B
+4.19
C
+3.98
D
+10.13
+20.70
Period II
B
—4.86
C
+ 5.06
D
+6.47
A
+8.80
+15.47
Period III
C
—2.71
D
+ 6.06
A
+5.02
B
+4.10
+ 12.47
Period IV
D
+4.81
A
+7.64
B
+3.91
C
+4.25
+20.61
Total
—0.36
+22.95
+ 19.38
+27.28
+69.25
170 EFFECT OF DIFFERENT FODDERS IN SAHIWAL COWS
[Vol. XXIII, Part III,
The statistical analysis of average balances of chlorine showed that the fodder
and cows were significant even at one per cent level, but the periods were not
significantly different at five per cent. The average mineral balances of chlorine
in various fodders have been given in Table XXXIII.
TABLE XXXIII
Average balances of chlorine in different fodders
Fodders
1. Unmanured berseem
2. Manured berseem
3. Green lucerne
4. Jowar silage and hay
Average balances
+5.97
+1.84
+2.65
+6.87
C.D. at five per cent 2.70
Unmanured berseem and jowar silage do not differ significantly in maintaining
high positive balance. Similarly manured berseem and green lucerne do not
significantly differ in maintaining positive balances. But unmanured berseem and
jowar silage are significantly better than manured berseem and green lucerne.
When the intake of chlorine was 103.75 gm. the positive balance was 2.65 gm.,
when the intake was 129.19 gm. the positive balance improved by 3.0 gm. only.
SUMMARY
1. A balance experiment to study the effect of four fodders, i.e. unmanured
berseem, manured berseem, green lucerne and jowar silage plus lucerne hay with
supplements of chalk and salt, on the milk yield, its composition and mineral reten-
tion in four high milk yielding sahiwal cows was conducted.
2. The four fodders and the mineral supplements did not bring about any
significant change in the live weights and milk yields of the cows during the seven
weeks of the experiment.
3. The mineral composition of the milk was not influenced by the feeding of
fodders which were rich in some and poor in other elements.
4. The cows differed amongst themselves in their capacities to assimilate the
minerals from the rations.
5. The fodders were significantly different amongst themselves in affording
mineral assimilation.
6. The legume fodders like berseem and lucerne are three times richer in calcium
contents than the non-legume fodder like jowar silage. The sodium contents of
manured and unmanured berseem are about ten times higher than that of green
lucerne, lucerne hay and jowar silage, while the chlorine contents are only twice
as high.
September, 1953] M.A. MATHUR AND S. V.
DESAI
171
7. Berseem manured with ammonium phosphate was richer in phosphate
contents than the unmanured berseem.
8. Positive calcium, magnesium, potassium and chlorine balance were
maintained by all cows during almost all periods. Negative sodium and phosphorus
balances occurred in some cows.
9. Berseem, lucerne, jowar silage plus lucerne hay, supplemented with one
per cent chalk (calcium carbonate) maintained positive calcium balances in all
cows.
10. Manured berseem maintained the highest positive calcium balances and
proved to be the best for assimilation or retention of calcium. This was followed by
unmanured berseem and lucerne which were not significantly different between
themselves. Legumes as manured berseem, unmanured berseem and lucerne were
significantly better for the assimilation of calcium than jowar silage, which proved
to be poor for calcium assimilation.
11. One hundred and twenty grams of CaO per day in the feed, maintained
positive calcium balances in case of cow giving about 30 lb. milk daily, while
180 gm. CaO per day maintained positive calcium balances in case of cow giving
about 40 lb. milk daily. (On an average about 100 to 200 gm. CaO per day in
the food of cows is necessary when they are giving 30 to 40 lb. milk.)
12. Unmanured berseem, lucerne and jowar silage could not maintain phos-
phorus equilibrium and all the four cows lost phosphorus from the body during
their feeding. Manured berseem however maintained positive balances in two cows
and negative balances in the other two cows.
13. One hundred to 120 gm. P 2 O 5 per day in the feed of the cows could not
maintain positive balances in cows giving about 30 to 40 lb. milk per day.
14. The assimilation of phosphorus by the cows was better from the phosphate
manured berseem than the unmanured berseem.
15. The assimilation of calcium and phosphorus (per cent of the intake) was
higher during the period when the CaO : P 2 O 5 ratio was 1.23 : 1, than when the
ratio was higher 1.86 : 1 or still higher. The only exception was during the period of
manured berseem feeding when there was better assimilation of phosphorus only.
16. Two-third of the total amount of magnesium in the rations was generally
provided in the grain mixture. About 80 gm. MgO in the feed was enough to
maintain positive balance of about five grams MgO in cows giving 30 to 40 lb. milk
per day.
17. Manured or unmanured berseem feeding supplemented with one per cent
salt (sodium chloride) maintained positive sodium balances, while lucerne and
jowar silage feeding even when supplemented with one per cent sodium chloride did
not maintain equilibrium and sodium was lost from the body.
18. One hundred and four, and 109 gm. Na 2 O in the feed could maintain positive
balances of 7 and 10 gm. per day, while on 57 to 58 gm. Na 2 O in the ration was not
sufficient to maintain the equilibrium and 6 to 12 gm. sodium Na 2 O was lost from
the body.
172 EFFECT OF DIFFERENT FODDERS IN SAHIWAL COWS
[Vol. XXIII, Part III,
19. One hundred and ninety grams of K 2 O in the rations could maintain
positive balance of 0.72 gm. and 283 gm. K 2 O in the feed could maintain a positive
balance of 10.77 gm. with average milk yield of 32 lb. daily. Potassium was always
present in large quantities in the ration of the cows and hence positive balances
were always maintained.
20. The assimilation of sodium was the highest during the manured berseem
period when the Na 2 O : K 2 O ratio in the feed was 1 : 1.75 ; the assimilation de-
creased with the increase in the ratio to 1 : 2. With further increase in the ratio to
1 : 5 there was very little assimilation or negative assimilation and sodium was lost
from the system. Thus a high intake of potassium which increased the sodium :
potassium ratio, helped in the elimination of almost all the sodium present in the
feed.
21. Positive chlorine balances were always maintained during the experiments.
112 to 130 gm. chlorine in the feed was enough to maintain positive balances of 2 to
7 gm. per day.
22. The assimilation of mineral nutrients was better from the green fodder
than from hay or silage.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
The authors are grateful to Mr C. H. Parr then Imperial Agriculturist for giving
facilities to conduct the experiment in his Division and for taking keen interest in
the work.
REFERENCES
Bunge (1873). Z. Biol. 9, 104
Desai, S. V. and Mathur, M. L. (1945). Indian J. vet. Sci. 15, 199
Forbes, E. B. et al. (1916). Ohio Agric. Exp. Sta. Bull. 295
Forbes, E. B. et al. (1917). Ohio Agric. Exp. Sta. Bull. 308
Forbes, E. B. et al. (1918). Ohio Agric. Exp. Sta. Bull. 330
Forbes, E. B. et al. (1922). Ohio Agric. Exp. Sta. Bull. 369
Forbes, E. B. et al. (1922). J. Biol. Chem. 52, 281
Haffman, C. F. et al. (1930). J. Dairy Sci. 13, 432
Hart, E. B. et al. (1911). Wisconsin Exp. Sta. Res. Bull. 17
Hart, E. B. et al. (1921). Wisconsin Exp. Sta. Res. Bull. 362
Hart, E. B. et al. (1926.27). J. Biol. Chem. 71, 263, 271
Hart, E. B. et al. (1927). J. Biol. Chem. 72, 59
Hart, E. B. et al. (1929). J. Biol. Chem. 84, 359, 367
Henderson, J. M. (1925). Biochem. J. 19, 52
September, 1953] M. L. MATHUR AND S. V. DESAI 173
Husband, A. D. and Godden, W. (1927). Biochem. J. 21, 259
Lander, P. E. (1926). Agric. J. India 21, 347
Meigs, E. B. et al. (1926). J. agric. Res. 33, 383
Miller, H. G. et al. (1924). Amer. J. Physiol. 68, 169
Miller, H. G. et al. (1925). Amer. J. Physiol. 72, 647
Pemberton, H. (1882). J. Franklin Institute 113, 184
Sen, K. C. (1933). Indian J. vet. Sci. 3, 287
Turner, W. A., Harding, T. S. and Hartman, A. M. (1927). J. agric. Res. 35, 625
Viswanatha Iyer, A. (1935). Indian. J. vet. Sci. 5, 129
REPLACEMENT OF PLANT PROTEINS BY ANIMAL
PROTEINS IN THE RATIONS OF BREEDING BULLS
AND ITS EFFECT ON SEMEN PRODUCTION
By S. S. PRABHU, S. GUHA and P. BHATTACHARYA, Animal Genetics Section, Indian
Veterinary Research Institute, Izatnagar
(Received for publication on 8 April 1953)
L ITTLE information is available on the effect of specific nutritional factors
upon semen production. Jones, Haag and Dougherty [1942] showed that
rations satisfactory for normal growth up to three years of age are adequate for
normal reproductive function. Branton, Bratton and Salisbury [1942] fed bulls
used for artificial insemination with 100, 120 and 140 per cent levels of T. D. N.
of Morrison dry cow requirement and observed that neither the quantity and quality
of semen produced nor the fertility of the bulls was related to the digestible nutrient
intake within the limits studied. They also observed that concentrate mixtures
containing 12 per cent, 16 per cent and 20 per cent total protein did not significantly
affect the fertility of bulls. On the basis of their findings, they have suggested a
feeding schedule for bulls in active service. Reid, Ward and Salisbury [1948],
who tried simple and complex concentrate mixtures on young breeding bulls, observed
that good quality semen of similar character resulted from the ingestion of both
diets, when given at the average rate of 1.18 lb. digestible nutrients per 100 lb. body
weight daily. Bulls given complex mixture yielded slightly larger ejaculates,
containing more spermatozoa per ejaculate and fewer abnormal spermatozoa than
those fed on simple mixture. The decrease in pH following incubation of ejaculated
semen was greater in latter group than in the former. Regardless of the diet fed
the concentration of spermatozoa in semen, the initial motility, the degree of livabili-
ty, the size of spermatozoa, the quantity of total reducing substances, reducing sub-
stances in oxidised state, potential reducing capacity, ascorbic acid and the initial pH.
of the semen were similar. A number of Russian workers also have stressed the
value of proper feeding in increasing sperm production [Snironov-Ugrjumov, 1937 ;
Pankhevic, 1930 ; Ovsjannikov, 1939]. According to their findings, the animal pro-
teins contained in blood-meal and skim milk caused significant improvement in
semen production when fed to breeding bulls. Branton, Bratton and Salisbury
[1949], who tried one animal protein (skim milk powder) and two vegetable proteins
(corn gluten feed and soyabean oil meal) in an experiment conducted on 18 bulls em-
ploying a double cross over design and a 120 days period, could get no confirmation of
these results. They found that the three protein supplements were approximately
equal in value.
In India, the necessity for meeting the overall deficit in concentrates, rendered
acute by the partition of the country, through use of suitable substitutes has become
urgent. An attempt has been made by the authors to study the possibility of
175
5 AR/53