Response of Brahman crossbred cows and their calves kept under semi- intensive and fed them on local-fodder supplement in East Sumba Regency, East Nusa Tenggara Province

Abstract

An experiment was carried out in the Regency of East Sumba, Province of East Nusa Tenggara  using  fourteen  late  pregnant  cows  (7  – 9  months  pregnancy)  and  their  calves  of  0  –  10 months old. The aims of this study were to improve productivity of Brahman crossbred cows and to reduce mortality rates of their calves by feeding them on local-fodder based supplement. Cows and calves were distributed into two treatments allotting randomized block design. Treatments on pregnant and lactating cows consisted of 6 to 7 heads as replication, while on calves consisted of 5 to 7 heads as replication. They were distributed into five groups and two dietary treatments: (a) late pregnant cows in group A grazed during the day and received no additional supplement, whereas -1 those of group B grazed during the day and received an additional solid supplement of 1 kg day before grazed; the variables observed were live weight gain and body linear gain of their new-born calves; (b) lactating cows in group A grazed during the day and received no additional supplement, whereas those of group B grazed during the day and received an additional solid supplement of 1 kg -1 day before grazed; the variables observed were milk suckled by calves, live weight gain of both groups after 2 months of lactation; (c) 1 – 2 months old of suckling calves in group A grazed during the day with their mother and received no additional supplement, whereas those of group B grazed -1 during the day with their mother and received an additional liquid supplement of 1 kg day before grazed; the variables observed were live weight gain, linear body gain and mortality rate; (d) pre- weaning calves grazed during the day and received no additional solid supplement, whereas those of -1 group B grazed during the day and received an additional solid supplement of 1 kg day before grazed; (e) weaning calves of more than 6 – 10 months old in group A grazed during the day and  received no additional supplement, whereas those of group B grazed during the day and received an -1 additional supplement of 1 kg day before grazed. The variables observed for the last three groups were live weight gain, and linear body gain. Mortality was observed during the course. Data were statistically analyzed using SAS packaged program for T-test. The results showed that the effect of treatments on variables measured were: (a) late pregnant cows were highly significant (P<0.01)affected both born weight and body linear of calf; (b) lactating cows were highly significant (P<0.01)affected live weight gain two months postpartum; (c) calves of 1 – 2 months old were highly significant (P<0.01) affected both daily live weight gain and body linear gain; (d) calves of 3 – 6 months old were highly significant (P<0.01) in both daily live weight gain and body linear gain; (e)calves of more than 6–10 months old were highly significant (P<0.01) in both daily live weight gain and body linear gain. No calves mortality was found during the experiment. It is concluded that the use of local-fodder based supplement on late pregnant cows and new born up to weaning calves able to improve their performance.