EFFECT OF BYPASS FAT SUPPLEMENTATION ON MILK YIELD IN LACTATING COWS AND BUFFALOES

The present study was planned to cope with feed scarcity issue using bypass fat as a non-conventional feed resource. Twenty-four early lactating indigenous dairy animals comprising of twelve Nili-Ravi buffaloes and twelve Sahiwal cows were selected to determine the effect of bypass fat supplementation on daily milk yield, milk composition and change in body weight. These animals were randomly distributed in to four groups (G(0), G(1), G(2) andG(3)) having similar parity and milk yield. All the experimental animals were fed with basal ration (Trifolium alexendrinum + wheat straw) and concentrate in equal proportion (3kg day(-1) animal(-1)) in addition to 0, 250, 350 and 450g bypass fat animal (-1) day(-1), respectively. Data collected for each treatment was analyzed under completely randomized design using MINITAB (2000) and the mean was compared using the Tukey's test (P<0.05). The data revealed a significant effect (P<0.05) on milk production and 3.14 kg day(-1) more milk was produced in group G(2) compared to control group. Fat corrected milk yield was also enhanced (P<0.05) from 8.25 (G(0)) to 12.36 kg day(-1) (G(2)). Milk composition in the sense of fat percentage was also improved [5.25 (G(0)) to 5.78 (G(2))] significantly. While average protein content, SNF% and total solids% remained unaffected. Similarly, change in body weight was non-significant. Milk value (Rs./day) was significantly (P<0.05) increased from 512.25 to 747.75 in the group G(0) to G(2). Form present finding it could be concluded that dietary supplementation of bypass fat in indigenous dairy animals is a better option to increase the milk yield without compromising milk quality and animal health.