Introduction
We have observed that generally cows and buffaloes are fed with unmonitored quantities of dry fodders like straw as well as some green grass or green fodder during most months of the year, which although fills the stomach of cows and buffaloes, but they do not provide all the essential nutrients required by cows and buffaloes for their growth, maintenance and overall development. Therefore, it has been considered utmost important by scientists to include such scientifically formulated food mixtures in the regular diet of cows and buffaloes in appropriate quantities and proportion, in which all the required nutrients are included in balanced quantity and proportion and which should be fed to them regularly in addition to the ordinary fodder.
Usually, mixtures prepared by mixing different types of grains, cereals, cereal-grain by-products, various cakes and meals such as cotton seed cake, mustard cake, groundnut cake, mineral mixture and salt etc. are known as ‘balanced cattle feed’. If cattle-rearers believe that by individually feeding only grains/ cereals/ cake etc. to their cows and buffaloes, they will be able to get full milk production from their cattle, then this belief is completely wrong.
While giving balanced cattle feed to cows and buffaloes, it is necessary to take into consideration, their physical weight, productivity, physical work, growth-stage and pregnancy related conditions etc.
Balanced Cattle Feed can mainly be divided into two categories:
1. Maintenance ration and
2. Production ration
The age and body weight of the cows and buffaloes need to be taken into account while determining the quantity of maintenance ration to be fed to them per day.
Feeding of cows and buffaloes through ration balancing method not only has a positive impact on their overall health and milk productivity but also significantly reduces the cost of milk production thereby increasing the income of the cattle-rearers and farmers.
Goupalanand Balanced Cattle Feed usage cycle
