Revival performance of growing buffalo calves fed on urea molasses liquid diet and roughage as survival feed

The potential of urea molasses liquid diet (UMLD) with two levels of roughage as survival feed (Phase-I) and its impact on the performance during revival period (Phase-II) was studied on eight growing buffalo calves (209 kg mean body weight; 1 year age) divided into two equal groups in a completely randomised design. In the first phase, the calves of both the groups were offered 3 kg UMLD (molasses 84%; urea 3%; mineral mixture 2%; phosphoric acid 1% and protein pellets 1%) along with 500 and 1000 g wheat straw per 100 body weight in Group 1 and 2, respectively. Protein pellets, which were part of UMLD were given separately. In Phase-II, animals of both the groups were fed on similar diets consisting of ad libitum wheat straw and concentrate mixture (ground nut cake 33%; wheat bran 32%; crushed maize 32%; mineral mixture 2% and common salt 1%) as per their requirements to attain 500 g daily growth. At the termination of each phase of 120 days, a metabolism trial of 6 days duration was conducted. The animals fed UMLD along with 1000 g wheat straw per 100 kg body weight (Group 2), though, consumed significantly more of almost all the nutrients, except comparable DM and OM, during Phase-I, the digestibility of DM, OM and EE was higher in Group 1, however, digestibility of other nutrients was comparable between the groups. On the other hand, when the animals were shifted to revival diet (Phase-II), the intake and digestibility of all the nutrients were similar between the groups. The loss in body weight during survival feeding was 187.5 and 16.7 g daily in Group 1 and 2, respectively, which was compensated during revival feeding with an average daily gain of 449.9 and 337.5 g in corresponding groups. Though the differences were insignificant, the animals fed UMLD along with 500 g wheat straw per 100 kg body weight (Group 1) could not attain body weight similar to the animals of Group 2. Plane of nutrition and retention of nutrients were largely similar in calves of both the groups during both the periods. Since, the feeding of UMLD along with 1000 g wheat straw per 100 kg body weight resulted in minimal body weight loss, it can be practiced as potential survival feed during feed scarcity without any adverse impact on the performance of buffalo calves during revival period.