Effect of water quality on production performance of lactating Nili-Ravi buffaloes
The study was conducted to evaluate the effects of drinking water quality on the milk production performance of Nili-Ravi
buffaloes. Lactating Nili-Ravi buffaloes (n = 12) of the same parity were randomly divided into three groups: A, B, and C (n = 4). Group
A was offered turbine water, group B (the control) was kept on tap water, and group C was given canal water for drinking. Mean daily
milk production was found significantly (P < 0.01) higher for group A as compared to the other groups. Dry matter intake (DMI) was
lowest in group B followed by group A. Milk composition, including fat, solid not fat, and total solid percentages, was found statistically
different (P < 0.001) among all groups. Feed efficiency was higher in the control (group B) followed by group C and group A. A
significant (P < 0.001) difference for water intake was also observed among all groups. In conclusion, buffaloes kept on tap drinking
water showed better milk production performance.
___
- Economic Survey of Pakistan. Economic Advisor Wing,
Ministry of Finance, Government of Pakistan, Islamabad. 2012
- Khan MS, Ahmad N, Khan MA. Genetic resources and
diversity in dairy buffaloes of Pakistan. Pak Vet J 2007: 27: 201-
207
- Jabbar MA, Fiaz M, Iqbal T, Abdullah M, Marghazani IB.
Effect of different dietary energy levels on milk production in
lactating Nili-Ravi buffaloes. J Anim Plant Sci 2013; 23: 13-16.
- Reece WO. Functional Anatomy and Physiology of Farm
Animals. 3rd ed. Philadelpia, PA, USA: Lippincott Williams &
Wilkins; 2005.
- Arjomandfar M, Zamiri MJ, Rowghani E, Khorvash M,
Ghorbani G. Effects of water desalination on milk production
and several blood constituents of Holstein cows in a hot arid
climate. Iran J Vet Res 2010; 11: 233-238.
- Schutz K. Effects of providing clean water on the health and
productivity of cattle. Report for NRC 2012; 400: 346.
- NRC. Nutrient Requirement of Dairy Cattle. 7th rev. ed.
National Academy Press, Washington, DC, USA; 2001.
- Malkeet SP, Cassandro VT, do-Amaranteb, Garciac RM,
Slaughterd DC, Mitcham EJ. Methods to analyze physico-
chemical changes during mango ripening: a multivariate
approach. Postharvest Biol Tec 2011; 62: 267-274.
- AOAC. Official Methods of Analysis. 18th edition, Association
of Analytical Chemists, Washington, DC, USA.
- Richards LA. Diagnosis and improvement of saline and
alkaline soils united states salinity laboratory staff, Agriculture
Handbook No. 60 United States; Department of Agriculture,
160; 1954.
- Steel RGD, Torrie JH, Dickey DA. Principles and Procedures of
Statistics. 3rd ed. New York, NY, USA: McGraw-Hill, Book Co
Inc,; 1997.
- Valtorta SE, Gallardo MR, Sbodio OA, Revelli GR, Arakaki
C, Leva PE, Gaggiotti M, Tercero EJ. Water salinity effects
on performance and rumen parameters of lactating grazing
Holstein cows. Int J Biometeorol 2008; 52: 239-247.
- Guadalupe, Jose GM, Herrera-Monsalvo CD, Lara-Bueno
A, Lopez-Ordaz R, Jaimes JJ, Ramírez-Valverde R. Effects of
drinking water desalination on several traits of dairy cows in a
Mexican semiarid environment. Life Sci J 2015; 12: 83-97.
- Solomon R, Miron J, Ben-Ghedalia D, Zomberg Z. Performance
of high producing dairy cows offered drinking water of high and
low salinity in the Arava desert. J Dairy Sci 1995; 78: 620-624.
- Bahman AM, Rooket JA, Topps JH. The performance of dairy
cows offered drinking water of low or high salinity in a hot arid
climate. Anim Prod 1993; 57: 23-28.
- Jaster EH, Schuh JD, Wegner TN. Physiological effects of saline
drinking water on high production dairy cows. J Dairy Sci
1978; 61: 66-71.
- Revelli GR, Sbodio OA, Gallardo MR, Valtorta SE, Tercero
EJ. Performance of dairy cows of low production in pastoral
conditions with salt or desalinated drinking water supply. Mag
FAVE Sec Sci Vet 2005; 4: 77-88.
- Umar S, Munir MT, Azeem T, Ali S, Umar W, Rehman A, Shah
MA. Effects of water quality on productivity and performance
of livestock: a mini review. Vet 2014; 2: 11-15.
- Beede DK. Evaluation of water quality and nutrition for dairy
cattle. In: Proceedings of High Plains Dairy Conference.
Albuquerque, NM, USA; 2006. pp. 1-24.
- Ali A, Mustafa MI, Bilal MQ, Muhammad G, Lateef M, Ullah
S. Effect of watering frequency on feed intake, milk production
and composition in Sahiwal cattle during summer. J Anim
Plant Sci 2015; 25: 19-22.