METHANE PRODUCTION ON MAIZE FODDER BASED RATIONS IN BUFFALO CALVES

Two experiments were conducted on growing buffalo calves. In first experiment the animals of 1-1.5 Yr. age were divided in two groups of female (gp.I) and male (gp.II) calves and fed concentrate mixture and maize fodder. The concentrate mixture was consumed by all the animals. DM intake (kg/d) through green maize fodder was 4.99+ 0.11 and 5.1+ 0.13 in female and male animals. Average total DMI per 100 kg body weight was 1.90+ 0.10 and 2.23+ 0.06 kg which was higher in case of male animals. DMD was 59.93+ 1.92 and 57.7+ 2.50 in the two groups, hence total digestible nutrients intake was 3.04+ 30.09 and 2.99+0.14 kg/day in the two groups which corresponds to 9.93+ 0.30 and 9.77+ 0.47 M Cal of metabolisable energy consumption by the animals. Total methane produced (g/d) was 79.99+ 6.75 and 93.22+ 4.58 in the two groups, when expressed on the basis of per kg body weight of the animal the values were 306.00+ 34.25 and 409.00 + 35.14 mg. One kg dry matter intake resulted in 15.9+ 1.26 g of methane in female calves and 18.34+ 1.31 g in male calves while one kg of digestible dry matter intake produced 26.70+ 2.03 and 32.17+ 3.22 g by the two groups. However