Effect of Feed Supplementation with UMMB on the Reproductive Performance in Anestrous Buffaloes

Abstract

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of supplementation of UMMB on the reproductive performance of post-partum anestrous buffaloes. The experimental trial was conducted in the farmer's field around the vicinity of Livestock farm of Agriculture and Forestry University, Chitwan, Nepal from February to April 2015. 30 post-partum anestrous buffaloes were selected and divided into two treatment T₁ and T_2..T₁ group of animal having 10 numbers of buffaloes were fed with normal feeding (control) whereas T₂ groups having 20 numbers of buffaloes were supplemented with UMMB along with normal feeding. Body condition score (BCS) and blood serum nutritional parameter were measured. Pregnancy was determined after 45 days of post-insemination. Data were analyzed by MS-Excel 2010 and SPSS version 20 software. Out of 20 buffaloes in T₂ group, 90% of animals came into estrous as compared to control group (50%).  Similarly, overall pregnancy rate was found to be 65% in T₂ group as compared to T₁ group (40%). Mean BCS (2.92) of buffaloes supplemented with UMMB was significantly (p<0.05) higher than the control group (2.65) at the end of the trial. BCS had significant (p<0.05) effect on the pregnancy rate. Serum nutritional parameter (glucose, total protein, total cholesterol) was significantly (p<0.05) higher than the control group. So UMMB supplementation during dry summer season when green fodder is scarce helps to improve the body condition score and reproductive efficiency.