J.L. Chaudhary, G.S. Tiwari and Lokesh Gupta
AICRP on Increased Utilisation of Animal Energy with Enhanced System Efficiency, Department of Farm Machinery and Power Engineering, Maharana Pratap University of Agriculture and Technology, Udaipur, Rajasthan, India
ABSTRACT
Nine draught camels aged 7 to 10 years and average body weight (566.33±37.81 kg) kept on sole roughage diet of dry groundnut straw (Arachis hypogaea L.) along with various level of energy in concentrate mixtures. The camels were randomly divided into 3 groups of 3 animals each and allotted 3 dietary treatments i.e., T1: 65% TDN in concentrate mixture; T2: 70% TDN in concentrate mixture and T3: 75% TDN in concentrate mixture alongwith dry groundnut straw fed ad libitum as sole roughage. The concentrate mixture was fed as per requirements of draught camels. The camels were subject to payload of 2.8 kg/kg body weight (18%BW) on a 2 wheeled camel cart. The camels covered 25.5 km distance in 2.64±0.08 to 3.12±0.03 hr at an average speed of 1.73±0.01 m/sec in a continuous work during winter season. The DM CP and DCP intake were found non-significant among the treatments on metabolic body size basis while, significant differences were observed among the treatments irrespective of total digestible nutrient intake (TDNI). However, the total water intake (litres) was significantly (P<0.05) influenced by various dietary treatments with lower value in T3 followed by T2 and T1. The respiratory frequency 79.9, 45.57 and 39.88%, pulse rate 37.91, 29.92 and 21.24, and body temperature was 2.54, 1.96 and 1.52% increased over the initial values.
The results indicated that the nutrient utilisation and draught performance was better in camels fed higher energy levels in concentrate and covered distance without any hurdle and also tolerate the work stress efficiently without any apparent ill effect on the health.
Key words: Camel, draught, groundnut straw, nutrient utilisation, physiological responses
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