EFFECT OF STRATEGIC SUPPLEMENTATION OF A NOVEL FEED SUPPLEMENT ON ZOO-TECHNICAL ATTRIBUTES, METABOLIC PROFILE, PRODUCTION AND REPRODUCTION PERFORMANCE OF BUFFALOES

The present experiment aimed to establish the efficacy of a novel feed supplement (NFS) on nutrient intake, energy status, metabolic profile, milk yield, reproductive performance and its socio-economic impact on problematic postpartum buffaloes under field condition. Twentyfour post-partum buffaloes were randomly and equally assigned to CON and NFS groups for 120 days of experimental feeding period. The animals in CON group were fed on basal roughages and concentrate mixture 20% of DMI as per the farmers' practices, whereas buffaloes in NFS group were fed according to CON with additional novel feed supplement 0.25% of BW. The voluntary feed intake and average daily gain in body weight were increased in NFS than CON group. The buffaloes fed NFS diet exhibited higher Hb, haematocrit, serum glucose and lower NEFA. Serum minerals (Ca, iP, Zn, Cu, Fe, Mn), metabolic hormones (T 3 , T 4 , GH, IGF-1) and total antioxidant capacity were enhanced in NFS group. The milk yield and conception rate were also improved significantly following strategic supplementation of NFS. Analyses of cost benefit of milk yield revelled that the benefit -cost ratio was improved in NFS fed buffaloes. Thus, it can be concluded that strategic supplementation the novel feed supplement 0.25% of BW significantly improved the nutrient intake, energy balance, metabolic profile, milk yield and reproduction performance of problematic buffaloes under field condition during early post-partum period.