Effect of dietary inclusion of Albizia saman pods on feed intake, digestibility, milk yield, and energy balance of crossbred Holstein Friesian transition cows

Abstract

This experiment was aimed to determine the effect of dietary inclusion of Albizia saman pods (ASP) on feed intake, digestibility, milk yield and composition, and energy balance of crossbred Holstein Friesian transition cows. Ten transition cows were randomly assigned into two groups: control and ASP groups, whereas ASP was included as 20% of total diet for ASP group. This experiment was lasted for 10 weeks (week –3 to 7 relative to calving). The BW and BCS of treatments did not differ (P>0.05); however the nutrient intakes and digestibilities were higher (P0.05). Day returned to estrus after calving was also lesser (P<0.05) in ASP group. Thus, it could be concluded that inclusion of Albizia saman pods as 20% of total diet improved nutrient intake, digestibility, milk yield and feed efficiency, and reduced the extent of NEB and days returned to estrus after calving of crossbred Holstein Friesian transition dairy cows.

Keywords

• albizia saman pods
• energy balance
• feed intake
• milk yield
• transition cows