<div>Rice Distillers Dried Grains with Solubles (RDDGS) is a byproduct of alcohol industry obtained by distillation of fermented rice. In the present experiment, chemical composition of RDDGS and the effect of supplementing RDDGS replacing soybean meal (SBM) on growth performance and feed conversion efficiency of crossbred Jersey calves have been studied. The DM content of RDDGS was 89.58 &plusmn; 0.09%. The chemical composition (% DM) in terms of OM, CP, EE, CF, NFE, TA, NDF, ADF, TCHO and AIA were 94.97&plusmn;0.09, 48.43&plusmn; 0.69, 5.45 &plusmn; 0.16, 6.50&plusmn;0.27, 34.58&plusmn;1.01, 5.03 &plusmn; 0.09, 40.50 &plusmn; 0.93, 16.82 &plusmn; 0.65, 42.91 &plusmn; 1.52 &nbsp;and 0.95 &plusmn; 0.06, respectively. Chemical analysis indicated that it is a good source of protein and other nutrients. The effect of feeding RDDGS in crossbred cattle was studied in a growth trial of 120 days and a digestibility trial of six days collection period. The animals in control group (T0) were fed on soya bean meal based concentrate mixture with paddy straw and green fodder as per requirement. In the treatment group (T1) soya bean meal in concentrate mixture was totally replaced by RDDGS. There was no significant difference between two groups of animals in terms of average DMI, CPI and TDNI. The blood parameters such as plasma glucose, protein, albumin, globulin, enzymes (AST and ALT) and urea also remained unaffected. The digestibility of DM, CP and EE were significantly higher in treatment group fed with RDDGS. The average daily gain (ADLG) was significantly higher in RDDGS supplemented group as a result of which feed conversion efficiency improved and thus economized the ration.</div>


<div>Effect of feeding rice distillers dried grain with solubles as major protein source on nutrient digestibility and growth performance of Jersey crossbred calves</div>


<p style="text-align: justify;">The present study was conducted on data of reproductive traits (viz., age at first service and age at first calving) in Jersey crossbred heifers, maintained at the Eastern Regional Station of ICAR-National Dairy Research Institute, Kalyani, West Bengal over a period of 38 years (1977-2014) to determine the effects of genetic and non-genetic factors. The data were classified according to season of birth, period of birth of animals and distributed in eight genetic groups having different level of Jersey inheritance. The least square mean of age at first service (AFS) and age at first calving (AFC) were 750.61&plusmn;12.35 and 1089.36&plusmn;13.99 days respectively. Sire had highly significant (P&lt;0.01) influence on both AFS and AFC in the present study whereas, the genetic group had only significant effect on age at first calving. The half-bred of Jersey and Tharparkar crosses (1/2 Jersey-1/2 Tharparkar) had significantly lower AFC (987.47&plusmn;43.21 days) than half-bred of Jersey and Red Sindhi and other crosses in this study. Moreover, the animals having less than 50 % and more than 62.5 % Jersey inheritance had highest AFC than other crosses. On the other hand, period of birth had significant effect on both AFS and AFC; &nbsp;however, season of birth only influenced &nbsp;AFC. Heritability estimates of AFS and AFC were observed 0.46&plusmn;0.19 and 0.30&plusmn;0.19 respectively. Strong genetic correlation (0.81&plusmn;0.19) was estimated between these traits. Since, these traits have moderate to high heritability, it indicates faster improvement of these traits through selection.</p>


<p>Genetic evaluation of reproductive traits in Jersey crossbred heifers&nbsp;at an organized farm of eastern India</p>


<p style="text-align: justify;">Present study was carried out with the aim to determine the effect of genetic and non-genetic factors on milk production efficiency traits and their genetic control. Data on milk production efficiency traits i.e. total milk yield per day of lactation length and total milk yield per day of calving interval in Jersey crossbred animals maintained at organized herd of ICARNational Dairy Research Institute, Eastern Regional Station, Kalyani, Nadia, West Bengal spread over 29 years (1986- 2014) were analyzed in the study. The overall least-squares means of total milk yield per day of lactation length and total milk yield per day of calving interval were estimated as 6.97&plusmn;0.21 and 6.02&plusmn;0.23 kg/day, respectively. The data was grouped into different sub-classes of season of calving, period of calving, parity and genetic group of animals. The random effect of sire had shown significant (p&lt;0.01) influence on milk production efficiency traits. Various environment factors significantly affected the milk production efficiency traits indicating the scope of improvement in management of these crossbred animals. The heritability estimates of 0.54 for TMY/LL and 0.63 for TMY/CI were high in magnitude which suggests that fast genetic progress can be made, if these animals are selected based on the milk production efficiency traits.</p>


<p>Genetic analysis of milk production efficiency traits in Jersey crossbred cattle</p>


<div>The present study was carried out to ascertain the effect of dietary inclusion of a customised supplement to farmers&rsquo; based diet on voluntary feed intake and nutrient metabolism in crossbred calves. In order to carry out the experiment, fifteen crossbred calves (18 months old; 166.53&plusmn;4.93 kg mean BW) were randomly allocated to 3 groups (5 calves in each group) as CON, Treat and SBR, in a CRD for 30 days. The calves in CON (control) group were fed on cereal straw based diet with concentrate mixture as per the farmers&rsquo; practices, whereas, the calves in Treat were fed according to CON with additional customized supplement @ 0.25% of BW. The calves in SBR group were fed standard diet as per Kearl (1982). The intake (gd-1) of DM and OM was significantly (P&lt;0.01) higher in SBR than Treat and CON groups, while DM and OM intake as % of BW in Treat group has an intermediate position between SBR and CON groups. The concentrate intake (gd-1) was significantly (P&lt;0.001) higher in SBR followed by Treat and CON group, respectively. However, intake of wheat straw and green maize was found to be identical (P&gt;0.05) among all the groups. The digestibility coefficient of DM, OM, CP, NDF and ADF was significantly (P&lt;0.05) higher in Treat and SBR groups than CON. The N-retention as per cent of intake and absorbed-N was significantly (P&lt;0.001) higher in Treat and SBR groups than CON. The Ca and P retention (gd-1) was significantly (P&lt;0.001) higher in SBR group followed by Treat and CON groups. The intake (gd-1) and density (%) of DCP and TDN were significantly (P&lt;0.001) higher in SBR group followed by Treat and CON groups. Thus, it can be concluded that supplementation of the customised supplement (@ 0.25% of BW) to CON diet significantly improved the voluntary feed intake and nutrient metabolism in crossbred calves.&nbsp;</div>


<div>Influence of Customized Supplement on Voluntary Feed Intake and Nutrient Metabolism in Crossbred Calves</div>


<div style="text-align: justify;">A study was conducted to evaluate the impact of probiotic, prebiotic and synbiotic as feed additives on faecal counts of coliform and E. coli along with cell mediated immune response in crossbred calves. &nbsp;For this purpose fifteen days old, 24 crossbred calves were divided into 4 groups of 6 calves each. The calves were assigned to different dietary treatments viz T0(control group) -basal diet, T1 (probiotic group) - basal diet + Lactobacillus acidophilus @ 1 g/calf/day (2 x 1010 cfu/ g), T2 (prebiotic group)- basal diet + Mannan oligosaccharide (MOS) @ 4 g per calf/day and T3 (synbiotic group) basal diet +Lactobacillus acidophilus @ 0.5 gm (2 x 1010 cfu/ g) + 2 g MOS per calf/day respectively for a period of 90 days. Faecal samples for coliform and E. coli count were taken at 15 days interval. Blood samples were taken at 15 days interval for lymphocyte count. Blood samples were taken at 45th and 90th-day for lymphocyte stimulation test (LST) in EDTA coated vials. Skin fold test was done on 90th day of experimental study. The results of study showed that there was a significant reduction in faecal shedding of coliform and E. coli in T1, T2 and T3 groups indicating lesser proliferation of pathogenic bacteria in the gut. The treatment groups T2 and T3 showed a significant increase in lymphocyte count whereas all the treated groups had significantly higher values of the lymphocytic index on 45th and 90th day post supplementation indicating improved cell mediated immunity. Increased skin fold thickness was observed post 48 hours of phytohaemagglutinin injection in T2 and T3 groups. It may, therefore, be concluded that supplementation of prebiotic and synbiotic is advantageous in attaining gut conditioning and enhanced immunity which may be helpful in preventing calf scours in crossbred calves.</div>

Effect of probiotic, prebiotic and synbiotic on faecal microbial count and cell-mediated immunity in crossbred calves

<div style="text-align:justify"><strong>Background:</strong> Dry period duration of dairy cow is considered as an important factor to maintain udder health and milk production.&nbsp;<br />
<strong>Methods: </strong>To investigate the effect of dry period duration (DPD) on udder health, milk production and body condition of dairy cows at lower Gangetic tropics, observations were taken from 25 Jersey crossbred cows which were divided into 2 comparable group viz: 1st group (11 cows), having 50 to 60 days DPD and 2nd group (14 cows), having more than 60 days DPD.&nbsp;<br />
<strong>Result: </strong>Statistically analyzed data revealed that milk somatic cell count, MCMT, milk pH and EC were significantly (P&lt;0.01) varied between two group from second month onwards and continue up to 4th months of lactation. Critical analysis of battery tests clearly confirmed the diagnosis for occurring of subclinical mastitis with poor udder health status in 2nd group. &nbsp;Total milk production/day/cow were almost similar in both group in first month but second month onwards significantly (P&lt;0.01) higher milk production was recorded in 1st than 2nd group. The milk composition parameters revealed non-significant difference between groups whereas milk quality parameter significantly (P&lt;0.01) better in 1st than 2nd group. Initial BCS of dry cow of both groups were similar. But BCS at calving was significantly (P&lt;0.05) higher in 2nd than 1st group with higher negative changes in BCS % in 2nd group as compared to 1st group. It can be concluded that dry period duration of 50-60 days is better over to prolonged dry period (&gt;60 days). Suitable changes in BCS from dry period to calving is beneficial to get higher milk production, quality, better maintenance of body condition and udder health status of Jersey crossbred cows at &nbsp;tropical &nbsp;lower Gangetic region.</div>


<p class="ql-align-justify">Effect of Dry Period Duration on Udder Health, Milk Production and Body Condition of Jersey Crossbred Cows at Lower Gangetic Tropics</p>

<p style="text-align:justify">The present study was carried out to evaluate the genetic and non-genetic factors affecting fertility traits viz., number of service per conception (NSPC), service period (SP) and calving interval (CI) and genetic and phenotypic parameters of these traits in Jersey crossbred cattle, maintained at Eastern Regional Station of ICAR-National Dairy Research Institute, Kalyani, West Bengal over a period of 39 years (1976-2014). The least squares means for the NSPC, SP and CI were 1.73&plusmn;0.08 inseminations, 156.37&plusmn;7.47 days and 458.32&plusmn;9.56 days respectively. The study revealed that all the traits were decreasing significantly with parity number. Season was important in determining service period, whereas period of calving influenced calving interval in this study. NSPC, SP and CI did not differ significantly among different genetic groups; but, half-breds of Jersey and Tharparkar (&frac12; Jersey-&frac12; Tharparkar) showed comparatively lower NSPC, SP and CI than half-breds of Jersey and Red Sindhi and other crosses in this study. The random effect of sire was highly significant on all the fertility traits considered in this study. Heritability estimates for NSPC, SP and CI were 0.08&plusmn;0.06, 0.18&plusmn;0.08 and 0.16&plusmn;0.08 respectively. All the three analyzed traits had close genetic relationships. Low to moderate heritability of reproductive traits indicates slow genetic progress through selection and further improvement in reproductive performance can be made either by better management practices or including large number of polymorphic markers associated with fertility in the population to assist animal selection</p>


<p style="text-align: justify;">Genetic analysis of fertility traits in Jersey crossbred cows</p>


<p>The birth weight of calves indicates livestock production performance even before birth, significantly impacting calf health and overall farm productivity. This study was conducted on the factors influencing the birth weight of Holstein and Jersey calves born under the same environmental and feeding conditions. Data were collected during 2016-2024 on 635 cows (Holstein, n = 572; Jersey, n = 63) and their calves, including details such as breed, age and parity of the dam, difference between the date of birth and estimated due date (DBE), birth season, sex and birth weight. The calving season was categorized into spring (March-May), summer (June-August), autumn (September-November) andwinter (December-February). Stepwise multiple regression analyses were conducted to determine the impact of these variables on the birth weight of calves. In Holstein calves, DBE (&beta; = 0.350) had the most substantial impact, followed by sex (&beta; = 0.316), age of dam (&beta; = 0.083) andbirth during autumn (&beta; = -0.112) (p&lt;0.05). For Jersey calves, DBE (&beta; = 0.448) was the most significant factor, followed by sex (&beta; = 0.277) and age of dam (&beta; = 0.228). Unlike Holsteins, no seasonal effect was observed in Jerseys. These findings highlight the influence of various factors on birth weight of calves, suggesting that Jersey cattle may possess certain advantages in seasonal birth conditions compared to those of holstein cattle.</p>


<p>Comparison of Influencing Factors on Birth Weight between Holstein and Jersey Calves</p>


<div><strong>Background:</strong> With the ban on the use of antibiotics as feed additives and growth promoters in animal nutrition, livestock scientists are now shifting their attention towards natural and safe products like organic acids, probiotics, prebiotics and herbal growth promoters. Plants containing essential compounds can be a cost-effective means of improving efficiency of nutrient utilization and growth performance of animals. Garlic (<em>Allium sativum</em> L.) belongs to the family <em>Liliaceae</em>, which is a genus of 500 species. The medicinal properties of garlic may have beneficial effects on nutrient utilization and health of animals. However, very few studies have been reported whereby garlic has been fed to ruminants. Therefore, the present study was design to investigate the effect of garlic supplementation on nutrient utilization, gastro intestinal parasites and haemato-biochemical profile in crossbred calves.<br />
<br />
<strong>Methods:</strong> Twelve crossbred male calves of similar age (3-6 months) were randomly allotted to two equal groups ((n=6) on basis of body weight. All animals were maintained on common feeding regime consisting of required concentrate mixture and roughage as per requirement given by ICAR (2013). Calves in experimental group were supplemented with garlic (<em>Allium sativum</em>) @ 250 mg per kg body weight whereas; the control group was remaining unsupplemented. The study was conducted for 90 days. After 60 days of experimental feeding a digestion trial of seven days was conducted to access the nutrient utilization of animals. The faecal sample of each animal was collected fortnightly for parasitological examination of helminthes eggs. Blood samples were collected from each animal at 0 and 90 days of feeding trial to assess the haemato biochemical profile of crossbred calves.<br />
<br />
<strong>Result:&nbsp;</strong>The results indicated that the intake and digestibility of DM, OM, CP, EE, ADF and NDF were statistically (P&gt;0.05) similar in both the groups. The haemato-biochemical parameters like Hb, PCV, RBC, WBC, glucose, TP, albumin, globulin and A:G ratio were statistically (P&gt;0.05) comparable among both the groups at 0 and 90 days of study. Similarly, the fortnightly faecal egg per gram (EPG) was also statically (P&gt;0.05) similar in both the groups. From the results it can be deduced that the garlic (<em>Allium sativum</em>) supplementation has no any effect on feed intake and digestibility of DM, OM, CP, EE, ADF, NDF and CP but significantly increases in digestibility of CF. Garlic powder supplementation did not have&nbsp; any appreciable effect on haemato-biochemical profile and faecal egg per gram (EPG) in crossbred calves.</div>


<p>Effect of Garlic (<em>Allium sativum</em>) Supplementation on Nutrient Utilization, Gastrointestinal Parasites and Haemato-biochemical Profile of Crossbred Calves</p>


<div><strong>Background: </strong>Supplementation of urea molasses mineral block (UMMB) showed promising results in improving the nutrient utilization and the productivity of animals. This offers several advantages such as easy transport, storage and handling and reduced risks of poisoning as compared with other approaches, such as giving a small amount of urea in drinking water, sprinkling of urea solution on fibrous feeds before feeding, or urea-ammonization of crop residues. These advantages of solid multi-nutrient blocks (SMB) opened up new vista to enhance productivity in terms of increased milk and meat production and higher reproductive efficiency in ruminant animal species. Keeping the above facts in view, this study was undertaken to determine the effect of feeding solid multinutrient blocks on feed intake, nutrient utilization and haemato-biochemical profile of crossbred calves<br />
<br />
<strong>Methods: </strong>In this study twenty four crossbred male calves of about 14-17 months of age were divided into four groups of six animals in each group. All animals were supplied wheat straw ad lib. In addition, animals in all groups were fed a concentrate mixture to meet out their nutrient requirement. Additionally, 30 % of concentrate mixture (on CP basis) was replaced by solid multi-nutrient blocks (SMB-I), SMB-II and SMB-III in groups T<sub>1</sub>, T<sub>2</sub> and T<sub>3</sub>, respectively. After 60 days of feeding a metabolism trial of 6 days was conducted to assess the nutrient utilization of animals. Blood samples were collected at 0, 75, 150 day of experimental feeding to determine hematological parameters, enzymes, biochemical parameters and serum mineral concentration.<br />
<br />
<strong>Result: </strong>The intake and digestibility of DM, OM, EE, NDF and ADF were comparable among 4 groups. The CP intake was significantly higher in SMB supplemented groups as compared to control but there was no significant difference in CP digestibility among 4 groups. All the animals in four groups were on positive nitrogen, calcium and phosphorus balance. Haematobiochemical parameters like Hb, PCV, glucose, total protein, globulin, A:G, SGOT and SGPT showed non-significant differences (p&gt;0.05) among the groups, however, periodical serum concentrations of albumin, urea and creatinine was higher in crossbred calves at 75 and 150 days of experiment in comparison to 0 day. On basis of present results, it may be concluded that supplementation of SMB can replace 30% crude protein of concentrate mixture without any adverse effect on feed intake, digestibility, nutrient utilization and blood biochemical profile of crossbred calves.</div>


Effect of feeding rice distillers dried grain with solubles as major protein source on nutrient digestibility and growth performance of Jersey crossbred calves

Genetic evaluation of reproductive traits in Jersey crossbred heifers at an organized farm of eastern India

Genetic analysis of milk production efficiency traits in Jersey crossbred cattle

Influence of Customized Supplement on Voluntary Feed Intake and Nutrient Metabolism in Crossbred Calves

Effect of probiotic, prebiotic and synbiotic on faecal microbial count and cell-mediated immunity in crossbred calves

Effect of Dry Period Duration on Udder Health, Milk Production and Body Condition of Jersey Crossbred Cows at Lower Gangetic Tropics

Genetic analysis of fertility traits in Jersey crossbred cows

Comparison of Influencing Factors on Birth Weight between Holstein and Jersey Calves

Effect of Garlic (Allium sativum) Supplementation on Nutrient Utilization, Gastrointestinal Parasites and Haemato-biochemical Profile of Crossbred Calves

Effect of Feeding Solid Multi-Nutrient Blocks on Feed Intake, Nutrient Utilization and Haemato-Biochemical Profile of Crossbred Calves