Performances of lactating yaks on silage and complete feed block based feeding regiments

Abstract

An experiment was conducted on lactating yaks at Nyukmadung farm of National Research Centre on Yak, West Kameng district of Arunachal Pradesh under Indian Council of Agricultural Research situated at 7500 ft. above msl. Sixteen lactating yaks of uniform age, parity (2nd and 3rd) and body weights were randomly divided into four groups of four animals in each namely T1, T2, T3 and T4 and fed individually for a period of 112 days with maize stover based Complete Feed Blocks (CFB-T1), maize silage with and without concentrates (T2 and T3) and free grazing (T4), respectively. The average daily gain in body weight calculated on the basis of their body measurements varied among the groups (P<0.05) and observed the values changes negatively in T4 (-0.12±0.03kg per day i.e. loss in body weight of 6.71%) that fed no supplementary feeding. The cost of feeding in terms of per kg milk yields was significantly reduced in group T3 than that of other experimental groups (35.15% less compare to T1 fed CFB). Study revealed silage feeding with or without supplementation of concentrates and Complete Feed Blocks (CFB) have beneficial effects in lactating yaks during winter.