Influence of varied metabolizable energy levels on antioxidant status and performance of transition Murrah buffaloes

Abstract

Present experiment was conducted to study the effect of varied levels of metabolizable energy (ME) on performance and antioxidant status of Murrah buffaloes. Advance pregnant Murrah buffaloes (n=16) were randomly divided into three experimental groups i.e., 5, 5 and 6 animals in LME, MME and HME, respectively on the basis of most probable production ability (MPPA) and lactation number. They were fed graded levels of ME, namely low metabolizable energy (LME), medium metabolizable energy (MME), high metabolizable energy (HME) which is 85, 100 and 115 percent of ICAR, 2013 requirements for 130 days, duration i.e., 40 day prepartum to 90 days postpartum. Animals in group LME, MME and HME were offered concentrate with metabolizable energy content (MJ/kg DM) 11.80, 12.18, and 13.85, respectively. Green fodder (maize) and dry roughage (wheat straw) were fed as per the experimental protocol. No significant effect on dry matter intake (DMI), crude protein (CPI) and metabolizable protein (MPI) (% BW) were observed due to dietary variation in ME. ME intake (MJ/100 kg BW) before and after calving was statistical (P>0.05) higher in HME (15.01, 24.66) followed by MME (14.07, 22.11) and LME (12.33, 19.16) groups, respectively. Significant (P>0.05) higher milk yield efficiency (kg/kg DMI) and 6% FCM (kg/kg DMI) were observed in MME in comparison to HME group. The antioxidant profile revealed no significant influence of dietary treatment on superoxide dismutase (SOD) and ferric reducing activity of plasma (FRAP) whereas significant (P>0.05) lower level of antioxidant status i.e., glutathione peroxidase (GPx) (µmol/L) in HME (1834.60) than LME (2240.23) was observed. Considering optimum production performance and similar antioxidant activity among treatment groups, it can be concluded that ICAR, 2013 recommendations are suitable for feeding transition Murrah buffaloes.