Feeding of working bullocks

FEEDING OF WORKING BULLOCKS

  • When food supply is adequate, a working animal first draws upon the carbohydrates and fats in the feed. If the supply is inadequate, the body fat is used for the purpose and as a last resort muscles and other protein tissues are used. Thus, as long as there is a sufficient supply of carbohydrates in the feed, an ox at work needs no more protein than required for maintenance except probably when the work done is very hard.
  • When the animals are not working, they should be fed as per the maintenance requirement. For light work, the animal should be fed with 30 kg green maize and 10 kg cowpea. For heavy work, 10 kg extra cowpea may be fed to take care of extra protein requirement. When cultivated fodders are available 20 kg berseem/lucerne with 20 kg oats may be fed.
In addition 30 g of mineral mixture and 30 g of  salt should be fed daily.

Working bullocks

  • When wheat/paddy straw form the basal ration, then a concentrate mixture containing 12% DCP and 75% TDN should be fed at the rate of 1, 1.5, 2 and 2.5 kg respectively to 200, 300, 400 and 500 kg animal along with ad libitum bhusa. For heavy work 2, 3, 4 and 5 kg of concentrate mixture should be fed along with wheat straw. 2.5 kg green fodder may be fed to satisfy the vitamin A requirement.

Watering and feeding troughs for cattle

Alternative Feeding Schedule for working bullocks

Light work

  • Roughage: Ad libitum straw (6-10 kg)
  • Concentrate(12% DCP, 60% TDN): 1-2.5 kg/day

Sugarcane tops can be fed upto 10 to 15 kgs for working bullocks

Medium work

  • Roughage: Ad libitum straw (6-10 kg)
  • Concentrate(12% DCP, 60% TDN): 1.5-4 kg/day

Heavy work

  • Roughage: Ad libitum straw (6-10 kg)
  • Concentrate(12% DCP, 60% TDN): 2-5 kg/day

Drying of sorghum fodder

Last modified: Sunday, 13 November 2011, 10:20 AM