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A study of six months duration was conducted to assess the body weight and reproductive parameters of lactating dairy cows fed on paddy straw based complete rations containing different levels of neutral detergent fibre (NDF), in two phases. Three isonitrogenous and isocaloric complete rations, T1, T2 and T3 with 25, 30 and 35 per cent NDF, respectively were formulated as per ICAR (1998) with paddy straw as the sole source of roughage NDF. Eighteen dairy cows yielding approximately 10 kg of milk per day were divided into three groups of six each, and allotted to the three experimental rations. Their performance were recorded in this study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A study was conducted in 18 lactating dairy cows (mean milk yield 10 kg/day) for 6 months by feeding paddy straw based complete rations containing different levels of NDF, in two phases, viz. early and mid lactation, to assess the microbial protein synthesis using purine derivatives (PD) excreted in urine. Isonitrogenous and isocaloric complete rations; T1, T2 and T3 with 25, 30 and 35 per cent NDF, respectively were formulated as per ICAR (1998). Paddy straw was the sole source of roughage NDF and the rest of NDF met by non-forage sources, in 3 diets. PD excreted through urine were comparable between the dietary treatments, in phases 1 and 2. The microbial protein (MBP) synthesis in T1, T2 and T3 were 997.01, 825.91, 842.06 g, respectively, in phase 1 and 1127.93, 1106.74 and 1157.24 g, respectively, in phase 2. The TDN intake calculated from the values of digestibility coefficients of nutrients in T1, T2 and T3 were 5.18, 5.86, 6.10 kg in phase 1 and 8.63, 8.81, 9.00 kg, in phase 2, respectively. The efficiency of MBP production/kg of TDN was 192.47, 140.94, and 138.04 g in phase 1 and 130.70, 125.62 and 128.58 g in phase 2, respectively in T1, T2 and T3. Results suggest that complete diets with 25 per cent are the most ideal NDF level in early lactation while all three NDF levels, viz. 25, 30 and 35% are ideal in mid lactation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: This study was conducted to assess the effect of feeding paddy straw plus nonforage fiber sources based complete rations with different levels of neutral detergent fiber (NDF) on hemato-biochemical and mineral parameters of lactating dairy cows. Materials and Methods: The study was conducted for 6 months in 18 lactating dairy cows, divided into three groups of six each, by feeding them on paddy straw plus nonforage fiber sources based complete rations containing different levels of NDF, in two phases of 3 months (90 days) each, being the early and mid lactation phases, respectively. Three isonitrogenous and isocaloric complete rations, T1, T2 and T3 with 25%, 30% and 35% NDF, respectively, were fed to the experimental animals. Blood samples were collected at the beginning and the end of each of the two phases to estimate the different hematological, plasma protein, and mineral parameters to know the overall health status of the animals and standard methods were followed to analyze the samples. Results: There was no significant difference (p>0.05) in various hematological parameters such as hemoglobin, glucose, and blood urea nitrogen (BUN) in blood; plasma protein parameters such as total protein, albumin, globulin and albumin: globulin ratio and mineral parameters such as plasma calcium and phosphorus levels at the beginning and end of Phase I (1st day and 90th day) and Phase II (91st day and 180th day) as well as between the three dietary treatments, with all the values being in the normal range for lactating dairy cows. Even though nonsignificant (p>0.05), the BUN values of animals fed on ration T1, both at the beginning and end of Phase I, were higher than that of animals fed on rations T2 and T3 because the diet T1 with lowest NDF and the highest soluble carbohydrate content underwent rapid fermentation in the rumen, produced more energy, which was utilized by the rumen microbes to degrade the protein in the feed to ammonia, the excess ammonia being transported to the liver and excreted through the blood resulting in a higher BUN content. Conclusion: Feeding of paddy straw plus nonforage fiber sources based complete rations with different levels of NDF had no effect on hemato-biochemical and mineral profile as well as overall health status of lactating dairy cows. However, the higher, BUN values found in cows fed on diet T1 with 25% NDF as compared to those fed on T2 and T3 with 30% and 35% NDF, respectively, indicate more wastage of protein in T1 as compared to T2 and T3, in early lactation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]