GROWTH PERFORMANCE OF FRIESWAL CALVES UNDER DIFFERENT FLOORS

Abstract

The data on Thirty Frieswal calves (15 male and 15 female) maintained at Military dairy farm, Mhow District Indore (M.P). were utilized to study the growth performance frieswal calves under three floor types ,namely Concrete floor, Concrete floor with straw beddings and Earthen (Kachha) floor with 10 calves (5male + 5 female) in each group. In general Average Daily Gain(ADG) showed increasing trend with advancement of age and the respective average daily gains during 13th week of age were 416.11±28.65, 498.11±25.39 and 481.11±25.29 gram. At 9th and 10th week of age i.e. just after closing of milk feeding ADG was decreased however, in subsequent weeks, calves regained their weight gain. Analysis of variance for heart girth and height at wither indicated that upto 3rd fortnight interval there was no significant difference among floor types. However, subsequently from fourth fortnight interval there was a significant (P<0.05) effect of floor types on heart girth. From fourth fortnight onward the gains in heart girth were significantly higher for calves on straw bed and earthen floor than the calves on concrete floor. The difference between straw bed and earthen floor types was not significant. At first fortnight the average height at withers for calves maintained on concrete, straw bed and earthen floor types were more or less same.