September, 1953] S. S. PRABHU, S. GUHA, AND P. BHATTACHARYA 185
view of this, it could be stated that the quality of the semen produced by the bulls
in the control groups of our experiment was in no way inferior to the semen produced
by the normal individuals belonging to this breed. This fact taken along with our
finding showed that the blood-meal fed bulls produced semen of about the same
quality as that expected from a representative sample of bulls of the breed given
normal rations. Our findings were that the crude vegetable protein in the rations
of artificial insemination bulls could be replaced by animal products like blood-meal,
to the extent done in our study, i.e. by 30 per cent, without detriment to normal
semen production and reaction time. These results are not in agreement with the
Russian findings and bear out the conclusions drawn by Branton, Bratton and
Salisbury [1949] who used skim-milk powder instead of blood-meal as a source of
animal protein supplement in the concentrate mixture. As our study was carried out
for a limited period of four months, no conclusion on long term aspect of feeding
blood-meal could naturally be drawn on the basis of the data presented. It has
however, clearly demonstrated that, as a short-term measure of feeding bulls, rations
with. 30 per cent of the crude protein replaced by blood-meal could be instituted
without materially affecting semen production and reaction time. This should prove of
value in a stop-gap arrangement of feeding artificial insemination bulls during times
of scarcity of good quality concentrates, besides helping release of valuable concen-
trates like maize and linseed cake for effective use in normal times.
SUMMARY
1. Data are presented on the effect of replacing 30 per cent of crude proteins
in normal rations of Kumauni Hill bulls by blood-meal, for a period of four months,
on semen production and reaction time.
2. Analysis of the data showed no significant difference in the various semen
characteristics and reaction times of bulls fed on normal and blood-meal replaced
rations.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
The authors are indebted to Dr N. D. Kehar, Officer-in-charge of Animal
Nutrition Section, Indian Veterinary Research Institute, Izatnagar, for help in
drawing up the schedule of rations followed in the present study. Their thanks are
due to Dr S. N. Ray and Shri V. N. Amble for kindly going through the manuscript
and making valuable suggestions. They are grateful to Shri A. R. Roy, Animal
Husbandry Statistician of the Indian Council of Agricultural Research, New Delhi,
for advice in the statistical treatment of the data. Their grateful thanks are due to
Professor G. W. Salisbury of the University of Illinois, U.S.A., for having kindly
scrutinised the manuscript and for suggesting certain improvements. Finally,
their thanks are due to Dr S. Datta, Director of the Indian Veterinary Research
Institute, Izatnagar for providing all facilities and for sustained interest in the
progress of this work.
REFERENCES
Branton, C., Bratton, R. W. and Salisbury, G. W. (1942). Total digestible nutrient and protein
levels for dairy bulls used in artificial insemination. J. Dairy Sci. 30,12, 1003—1013
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