ECONOMICS OF REARING NILI-RAVI MALE BUFFALO CALVES UNDER FOUR FEEDING REGIMES FOR MEAT PRODUCTION

The economics of buffalo meat production was compared at veal stage (200 kg body weight)
and at beef stage (300 kg body weight) under four feeding planes. For this 32 Nili-Ravi male buffalo
calves of an average age group of 7 months and an average body weight of 105 kg were randomly
allotted to 4 treatments namely T1, T2, T3 and T4. The animals under T1 were offered leguminous
fodders and a standard concentrate mixture. The calves under T2 were also fed leguminous fodders
and a cake-less concentrate mixture consisting of barley grains and de-oiled rice bran. The animals
under T3 were fed on cereal fodders and a low-cost concentrate mixture incorporating de-oiled
cakes. The calves under T4 were allowed to graze for about 6 hours daily and offered ad lib wheat
straw and concentrate mixture (with composition as in T3) at the rate of 1 per cent of body weight. The total cost per kg meat produced was Rupees 33.3, 24.6, 25.6 and 21.6 in T1, T2, T3 and T4 respectively at beef stage of rearing. The buffalo meat production was most profitable (net income Rs.2180 per animal) under feeding plane T4 at beef stage. Under stall feeding conditions it was more profitable to rear male buffaloes up to 300 kg body weight. The feeding plane T2 was found to be the most economical followed by T3 and T1 for buffalo male rearing up to 200 kg body weight.