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

Abstract

An experiment was conducted on lactating yaks at Nyukmadung farm under ICAR. Lactating yaks (16) of uniform age and parity (second and third) and body weights were randomly divided into groups T1, T2, T3 and T4 of 4 animals each and fed individually for 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 varied among the groups and values changed negatively in animals of T4 that were 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. Study revealed silage feeding with or without supplementation of concentrates and complete feed blocks (CFB) have beneficial effects in lactating yaks during winter.

Keywords

• Complete feed block
• Growth performance
• Milk yield
• Silages
• Yak