Performance of dairy cows fed concentrate mixtures containing varying levels of mahua (Madhuca indica J.F. Gmel) seed-cake as unconventional feed source

Feeding experiment of 7 months duration was conducted on 18 lactating cows (Kankrej and Jersey x Kankrej) in 3 groups fed concentrate mixtures containing 0 (T 1 )' 10 (T 2 ) and 20% (T 3 ) level of mahua seed cake. 'NB 21' green fodder (5 kg) wa.s given to each cow to meet vitamin A requirement Pearlmillet (Pennisetum typhoides) straw and mature pasture grass (ad lib.) formed the basal fodder. Sen et al. (1978) feeding standards were followed for providing nutritional requirements of lactating cows. Mahua seed-cake had 18.34% CP, g. 16% EE, 1.04% CF, 66.43% NFE, 6.03% ash, 1.20% silica, 0.37% P and 0.25% Ca on DM basis. Inclusion of mahua seed-cake in concentrate mixtures of lactating cows did not adversely affect the dry-matter intake, nutrients intake, digestibilities of nutrients, balances of N,P and Ca, milk production, milk composition and economics of feeding. Rumen pH (p<0.05) was significantly higher in T 3 groups. Concentrations of rumen total-N (P<0.05), ammonia and non-protein-N (P<0.01) were significantly lower in T 3 . Overall results indicated that unprocessed mahua seed-cake can be fed at 20% level in the concentrate mixtures of lactating cows without adversely affecting the milk production, composition and nutrients utilization. Thus, mahua seed-cake will he a future source of new cattle feed ingredient for compounding concentrate mixtures at 20% level with economic advantages.