Author/Authors :
Hussien، Radia نويسنده Bahir Dar University, College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences, POBox 79, Bahir Dar, Ethiopia , , Tegegne، Firew نويسنده Bahir Dar University, College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences, POBox 79, Bahir Dar, Ethiopia , , Yilma، Zelalem نويسنده International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI), POBox 5689, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia , , Mekuriaw، Zeleke نويسنده Bahir Dar University, College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences, POBox 79, Bahir Dar, Ethiopia , , Taye، Mengistie نويسنده Bahir Dar University, College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences, POBox 79, Bahir Dar, Ethiopia ,
Abstract :
An experiment was conducted at Andassa Livestock Research Center in Amhara National Regional State (ANRS), Ethiopia, to evaluate the effect of different feed supplements on feed intake, milk yield and milk composition of Fogera cows. Twenty second parity Fogera cows with similar stage of lactation, mean initial body weight of 258 kg and an average initial milk yield of 0.86 kg cow-1 day-1 were selected from the herd of the research center. The experiment had four treatments with five replications each using a randomized complete block design to which initial body weight was used for blocking. The treatments were; 1. Animals fed on only hay harvested from natural pasture (Control), 2. Hay plus grass pea bran; 3. Hay plus wheat bran and 4. Hay plus commercial concentrate mix (maize grain + Noug seed cake + wheat bran + fish meal + salt). There were significant (P < 0.01) differences in total dry matter, crude protein, neutral detergent fiber, acid detergent fiber and ash intakes among treatment groups. The overall milk yield (kg/cow/day) was 1.44; while fat, protein, total solid, solid-not-fat, and Ash composition of milk (%) were, 5.01, 3.07, 14.23, 9.22, 0.70, respectively. Milk yield was significantly different (P < 0.01) between treatment groups. Except ash content all the milk compositions analysed were significantly different (P < 0.01) among treatment groups. Supplementation of Fogera cows maintained on natural grass pasture with different feeds has an effect on feed intake, milk yield and milk composition.
