Effects of Substituting Cottonseed Meal with Sunflower Meal in Rations for Growing Buffalo Calves

Yunus, A. W.; Khan, A. G.; Alam, Z.; Sultan, J. I.; Riaz, M.

doi:2004.17.5.659

Article

Animal Breeding and Genetics

Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences 2004;17(5): 659-662.
https://doi.org/10.5713/ajas.2004.659 Published online January 1, 2004.

Effects of Substituting Cottonseed Meal with Sunflower Meal in Rations for Growing Buffalo Calves

A. W. Yunus, A. G. Khan, Z. Alam, J. I. Sultan, M. Riaz

Abstract

A growth trial of 60 days with 16 male buffalo calves (10 to 11 months age; 100 7 kg live weight mean) was conducted to investigate comparative efficacy of cottonseed meal (CSM) and sunflower meal (SFM). Cottonseed meal was substituted isonitrogenously with SFM at 0, 12, 24 and 36% levels in four rations viz. A, B, C and D. Daily feed consumption was 5.07, 4.30, 4.17 and 3.20 kg, while daily weight gain was recorded to be 0.98, 0.74, 0.57 and 0.33 kg under rations A, B, C and D, respectively. In the digestibility and nitrogen balance trial using eight calves, digestibility of organic matter was 63.2, 62.9, 62.1 and 61.7, respectively. Nitrogen retained as percent of intake did not differ significantly. Sunflower meal was purchased at half the price of CSM but economics of weight gain did not favor SFM inclusion in rations. Results suggested that SFM should not be fed to buffalo calves gaining more than 0.7 kg/day.

Keywords: Sunflower Meal; Buffalo Calves; Weight Gain; Digestibility; Nitrogen Balance