Author : Abner Kalimuda Simandjuntak

Summary : Sixteen lactating Holstein x Red Sindhi cows were used in a 4 x 2 randomized block design to determine the effects, if any, of feeding four kinds of roughages supplemented with two levels of concentrate of cow's milk production and composition, body weight gain and physiological responses (body temperature, respiratory rate and pulse rate). Four ensiled sources of roughage were used, namely, rice straw-molasses silage (R1), corn stover-molasses silage (R2), sugarcane tops-molasses silage (R3) and Napier grass silage (R4). For each roughage, concentrate was supplemented at two levels, namely, 1 kg. concentrate for every 2 kg milk produced (C1) and 1 kg concentrate for every 1.5 kg milk produced (C2). Differences between daily means for feed intake, milk production and composition and physiological responses of cows fed different roughages supplemented with two levels of concentrate were found to be not significant.