ASSESSMENT FEEDING PACKAGES BASED ON WATER EFFICIENCY FOR DAIRY BUFFALO FARMS UNDER THE MIXED (CROP/LIVESTOCK) FARMING SYSTEM IN EGYPT

Document Type : Original Article

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Animal Production Research Institute, Agricultural Research Center, Ministry of Agriculture and Land Reclamation, Dokki, Giza, Egypt.

Abstract

The objective of this study was to quantify water efficiency of dairy buffaloes using one of the animal feeding packages. Hundred fifty farms were selected by using stratified sampling in three governorates Kafr El-Sheikh, Qena and El-Beheira (fifty per each). The questionnaire was designed and pre tested on limiting groups of farms in the three studied areas. Data were collected through farmer's interview to find out buffaloes feeding patterns in winter and summer periods under mixed farming system. Average milk yield/season was calculated from farms data. Six rations were found, two traditional rations (winter and summer) without feeding packages were compared to four rations which including one of the following feeding packages corn silage, berseem hay, urea/ammonia treated straw, and molasses addition. The results showed that average milk yield, water used for crops production (cash/green forage) and water efficiency were 785.86 1016 and 3.47with traditional ration versus 1094.54, 740.67 and 6.62 with corn silage as feeding package, respectively. Average milk yield, water consumption and water efficiency were 498.3, 543.8, 605.8 and 560.4 kg, 1073, 1167, 1199 and 1505 m3/animal/period, 2.40, 2.30, 2.50 and 1.80 L.E/m3 for traditional, berseem hay, treated straw, molasses rations in summer, respectively. In conclusion average milk production has been improved by using feeding packages in ration compared to traditional ration either in winter or summer.

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