Browsing by Author "Syam Mohan, K M"

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Assesment of the dietary level of minerals for lactation in crossbred cows in Kerala under different feeding systems
(Department of Animal Nutrition, College of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Mannuthy, 2003) Syam Mohan, K M; Gangadevi, P
An investigation spread over a period of eight months was undertaken in crossbred dairy cattle to assess the dietary levels of minerals for lactation under different feeding systems. Twelve healthy crossbred cows at eight months pregnancy having an average peak yield of minimum eight litres per day in their previous lactation were divided into two groups of six each as uniformly as possible with regard to age and milk yield and were allotted to two dietary treatments viz. ration A consisting of basal concentrate mixture and green grass as roughage (Grass based diet) and ration B consisting of basal concentrate mixture and paddy straw as roughage (Straw based diet). All the experimental animals were fed as per NRC (1989) standards and maintained individually on their respective dietary regime from two months before calving to six months of lactation. Average dry matter intake, milk yield, milk fat percentage, serum minerals, mineral content of milk, digestibility of nutrients, N balance, balance of Ca, P, Mg, Cu and Zn, incidence of metabolic disorders and reproductive performance were the criteria employed for evaluation. Average body weights of animals revealed no significant difference for both the groups during all the fortnights studied. Significant increase (P<0.01) in the average dry matter intake was observed for the animals of group I compared to group II and the highest dry matter intake was observed during the eighth and third fortnight, respectively. Average daily milk yield and fat per cent in milk in all the twelve fortnights did not differ significantly between the groups. The average haemoglobin and mineral concentration in serum and milk at the first, third and sixth month of lactation for the animals in group I and II did not differ significantly. The mineral content in serum and milk in both groups were within the normal range reported for the species. The average digestibility coefficients of dry matter, nitrogen free extract, neutral detergent fibre and acid detergent fibre in group I and II differed significantly (P<0.01) with higher values observed for animals of group I fed grass based diet. No significant difference could be observed in the digestibility coefficient of crude protein and ether extract between the group I and II during the third and sixth month of lactation. The average digestibility coefficients of crude fibre for the third month of lactation between the group I and II did not differ significantly but those for the sixth month of lactation differed significantly (P<0.01) with higher values for group I animals fed grass based diet. Results with respect to balance of N, Ca, P and Mg did not differ significantly (P>0.05) between the two groups for both periods of lactation whereas that for Cu during the third month and that for Zn during both periods of lactation differed significantly (P<0.01) with higher balance for the group I fed grass based ration. There was no incidence of metabolic disorders like hypocalcaemia, hypomagnesaemia and ketosis in both groups of animals. The reproductive performances of animals of both groups were almost similar. An overall critical evaluation of the results obtained in the present study helps to infer that grass based feeding system had a significant effect on improving the digestibility of dry matter, crude fibre, nitrogen free extract, NDF, ADF and the bioavailability of Cu and Zn. Positive balance was obtained for the minerals studied along with their normal content in serum and milk and the animals were apparently healthy without any incidence of metabolic disorders or deficiency symptoms. Hence it is inferred that NRC (1989) requirements of Ca, P, Mg, Cu and Zn is applicable to crossbred lactating cattle of Kerala under both grass and straw based system. The study also indicates that the requirements of P, Mg, Cu and Zn can be solely met from their content in the feed ingredients and Ca is the only element that needs to be supplemented under both feeding system.
Effect of dietry iron and supplementation of phytase on growth and mineral availability in broiler chicken
(Department of Animal Nutrition, College of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Mannuthy, 2004) Anup Kollanoor, J; Syam Mohan, K M
An investigation over a period of eight weeks was carried out to study the effect of dietary iron and supplementation of phytase on growth and mineral availability in broiler chicken. One hundred and ninety two day-old broiler chicks (Ven cob) were divided into four identical groups having four replicates in each group with 12 birds in each replicate and allotted randomly into four dietary treatments viz., T1, T2, T3 and T4. The treatments consisted of a standard broiler ration (T1) containing mineral mixture as per BIS (1992), ration containing mineral mixture without iron (T2), ration containing mineral mixture with iron and supplemental phytase at 750 U/kg diet (T3) and ration containing mineral mixture without iron and supplemental phytase at 750 U/kg diet (T4). Performance parameters such as body weight, weight gain, dry matter consumption, feed efficiency, protein efficiency, tibial weight and tibial ash did not differ significantly between the groups. Significant increase (P<0.05) in the availability of phosphorus with marginal increase in the availability of Fe, Cu and Ca were observed for the groups fed T2 and T3 diets, when compared to other groups. Increased retention of iron in liver of birds fed T2, T3 and T4 diets were observed showing significant difference (P<0.05) with birds fed control diet T1. But the iron retention in spleen did not differ between treatments at sixth and eighth weeks of age. Overall evaluation of the results of the present study reveals that supplementation of inorganic iron through mineral mixtures over and above ingredient iron leads to interaction between Fe and other minerals especially P and Cu. Inclusion of phytase, even though did marginally improve iron retention in storage organs, it did not create significant improvement when added to diets without supplementation of inorganic iron. So it is concluded that levels of 620 to 660 ppm Fe from the ingredients satisfies the requirement for growth, mineral availability and retention in broilers.
Effect of different levels of dietary calcium on performance and mineral availability in crossbred dairy cattle
(Department of Animal Nutrition, College of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Mannuthy, 2006) Smitha Wilson; Syam Mohan, K M
An investigation spread over a period of four months was undertaken in crossbred dairy cattle to assess the effect of different levels of dietary calcium on the performance and mineral availability in cross bred dairy cattle. Twelve healthy crossbred cows in the last month of pregnancy having an average peak yield of minimum eight litres per day in their previous lactation were selected. They were divided into two groups of six each as uniformly as possible with regard to age and milk yield and allotted to two dietary treatments viz., T1 (control ration) where in the compounded cattle feed contained 0.5 per cent calcium as per IS (1992) standards and T2 (experimental ration) where in compounded cattle feed contained 1.0 per cent calcium. Paddy straw was the sole roughage source in both the rations. All the experimental animals were fed as per ICAR (1999) standards except for dietary Ca and maintained individually on their respective dietary regime from the last month of calving to three months of lactation. Average dry matter intake, fortnightly body weight, milk yield, milk fat percentage, total solids, solids not fat, serum minerals, mineral content of milk, balance of Ca, P, Mg and Zn and incidence of metabolic disorders were the criteria employed for evaluation. Average body weights and dry matter intake of animals revealed no significant difference for both the groups during all the fortnights studied. Highest dry matter intake for the group I was recorded during the third fortnight and for group II in the second and third fortnight. Average daily milk yield, fat percent, total solids and solids not fat per cent in milk in all the six fortnights did not differ significantly between the groups. The average mineral concentration in milk collected after calving, and at the first, second and third month of lactation for the animals in group II and I did not differ significantly. The mineral content in serum and milk in both groups were within the normal range reported for the species. Results with respect to balance of P and Zn did not differ significantly whereas that for Ca, and Mg differed significantly (P<0.05) between the two groups. Higher retention values were recorded in group II for Ca and group I for Mg. The average retention percent of Ca and Mg differed significantly (P<0.05) the higher values recorded in group I for Mg and in group II for Ca. There was no incidence of metabolic disorders like hypocalcaemia, hypomagnesaemia and ketosis in both groups of animals. An overall critical evaluation of the results obtained in the present study helps to infer that different levels of calcium followed in the present study has a major effect on improving the Ca balance of early lactating cows. The results suggest that levels of Ca in compounded cattle feed at one per cent is better than 0.5 per cent to avoid negative balance of calcium during early lactation when paddy straw is the sole roughage source. The study also indicates that with high levels of dietary Ca there is a need for Mg supplementation to avoid negative balance arising due to interaction of the two elements.
Utilization of prawn waste as pig feed
(Department of Animal Nutrition, College of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Mannuthy, 1991) Syam Mohan, K M; Sivaraman, E
An investigation was carried out to assess the feeding value of prawn waste as a partial or complete replacement of unsalted dried fish in the rations for growing – finishing pigs. Thirty – two Large White Yorkshire weanling pigs with an average body weight of 9.1 kg were distributed randomly and uniformly as far as possible to four groups (Groups 1, 11, 111 and IV) of eight animals each, with regard to age, sex and body weight and housed in pairs of the same sex. The four dietary treatments A, B, C and D were allotted to the pigs in the groups 1, 11, 111 and IV respectively. Of the total protein, 25 per cent in the diets A, B and C and 12.5 per cent in the diet D were provided as animal protein. Unsalted dried fish was used as animal protein source in the diets C and D. Diet C formed the control diet. In the diets A and B, 50 per cent and 100 per cent replacements respectively of animal protein from unsalted dried fish were made using dried prawn waste. All the animals were maintained on the respective diets with 18 per cent total protein upto an average live weight of 50 kg and with 14 per cent protein till they attained a body weight of 70 kg or 8 months of age, whichever was earlier, when they were slaughtered to study carcass characteristics.