FEEDING OF BYPASS PROTEIN TO CROSS BRED COWS IN INDIA ON STRAW BASED RATION

Feeding of bypass protein to lactating animals have been suggested by many research scientists as a way to increase the nutrient supply at the intestinal level thereby enhance animal production in ruminant animals. A feeding trial with a formulated bypass protein feed on straw based ration was carried out by using lactating cross bred cows at the stage of 4th month of their lactation. Bypass protein feed was fed at 5 different levels. Urea Molasses Block was used as a nitrogen source to the rumen microflora. In order to reduce the heat increment straw intake was restricted to all the animals. Urea Molasses Block intake was noticed varying in proportion with the bypass protein feed intake. Milk production was observed increasing in accordance with the level of bypass protein feed intake. However, the maximum response was noticed in cows that were fed 3 kg bypass protein feed. The nutrient availability at this stage was below the NRC (1988) requirements. Other remarkable finding was that the cows maintained the persistency of milk production even after 3rd month of lactation when the ambient temperature was $40^{\circ}C$.