Feed use efficiency in small-scale peri-urban dairy herds of Faisalabad, Punjab, Pakistan

Dairy farming is an important activity for many urban dwellers in Asia who serves the rapidly increasing milk demand. The major influencing factor that affects animal health, milk production and reproduction and thus overall productivity attributes of dairy animals is efficient feeding and nutritional management. Therefore, this study was planned to evaluate existing husbandry practices to optimize feeding and resources use efficiency. During 12 months, data on demographic events, amounts and quality of feeds offered, milk offtake and body weight changes was collected from 15 mixed buffalo and cattle dairy herds in Faisalabad. The 15 studied farms were classified as semi-commercial small-scale mixed (SSM), semi-commercial smallscale dairy (SSD) and commercial small-scale dairy (CSD) producers. The offer of feed dry matter (DM) and crude protein differed (P<0.05) between the three farm types and the four seasons of a year. Daily offtake of fat corrected milk averaged 13.5 and 8.1 liters per buffaloes and cattle, whereby seasonal variations were only observed in buffaloes. Input of feed DM per unit of milk produced was lowest on CSD followed by SSM farms with SSD farms showing least efficient feed use. Similarly, gross margin of selling milk and occasionally live animals was higher on SSM and CSD farms than on SSD farms. It was concluded that more efficient feed utilization and thus higher gross margin from milk production could be achieved by group feeding of buffaloes and cattle, respectively, according to their physiological and productive needs.