Abstract:
Evenly matched pairs of heifers owned by small dairy farmers grazing under coconut
under their own conditions were used. They were either fed rice straw ad libitum (S) or
S supplemented (SS) with Sow levels of urea, molasses, rice bran, vitamin/minerals (24,
90, 70 and 16 g/ head/ d, respectively) up to first oestrus and then doubled and trebled
during pregnancy and lactation, respectively. Botanical and proximate composition
plus dry matter yields of herbage/weeds at each location were recorded. In order of
dominance (0 ± SD for all locations), species composition (%) was: pasture grasses
(42.6 ± 18.2), fodder grasses (24.8 ± 21.4) with leguminous and other species (16.2± 3.8
and 16.4 ± 8 .8 , respectively). Proximate composition (%) for pooled (spp., locations
overtime) herbage samples (0 ±SD) were: DM (20.6 ± 1.9) CP (10.9± 1.0) and CF (29.3
± 2.9) indicating an acceptable CP level. Similarly the yield was 1414 ± 263 kg/ha/yr,
but pointing to a restricted supply of quantity. Supplementation significantly (P< 0.05)
improved the age at first oestrus (11.3 vs 10.5 mo), average live weight gain (ADG, 162
vs 252 g/head/d)) and the live weight at which first oestrus(135.1 vs 154.6 kg/head).
The corresponding data which also differed (P<0.05) in favor of SS compared to S
were, 33.3 vs 30.5 mo, 233 Vs 322 g/head/d and 208.1 vs 253.4 kg/head), respectively.
The weight of calves at birth and the yield of milk were also significantly (P < 0.05)
higher due to feeding of supplements. It is recommended that the resource poor small
dairy farmers should move away from more extensive to a more intensive stall feeding
system of management, based on cheaply available feed resources such as straw, tree
legume forage and critical supplements to balance the ration.
