DEVELOPMENT OF LEAST-COST BALANCED RATION WITH LOCALLY AVAILABLE FEED INGREDIENTS FOR DAIRY ANIMAL USING FEED MASTER ANDROID SOFTWARE

Abstract

A study was conducted at the central dairy farm of Hajee Mohammad Danesh Science and Technology university, Dinajpur during January to April, 2017 on 12 number of dairy cows about their ration formulation by feed master android software developed by some student of CSE of HSTU with locally available feed ingredient .The study was conducted to find out the impact of this software on ration formulation as well as on milk production. The method of this software is very simple than others, just the farmer needs to put the body weight on this software then the whole ration will be calculated automatically according to their body weight. In this study 12 animals were assigned into four groups. Each group contains three cows and T0 is the control group. Here we made a variation in case of supplying grass and straw but the amount of concentrate was same to all groups according to their body weight. T0 group were given 100% straw, T1 were given 75% straw and 25% grass, T2 were given 50% straw and 50% grass, T3 were given 75% grass and 25% straw. It is revealed from the study that average total body weight gain and heart girth gain were higher in those heifers received 75% straw, 25% grass and concentrate mixture per head per day. Also, body weight gain was significantly differed (p<0.05) from the other groups. On the other hand, average total dry matter intake was found higher in T3 groups and the highest body length gain was observed in T0 group. The results suggest that supplying of 75% straw, 25% grass and concentrate mixture would give a better performance of the heifer. The result indicates that Feed Master android software is effective on ration formulation of dairy cow. It also indicates that this software can be easily used by the farmer even by an illiterate farmer. It will help the farmer to formulate a ration by using minimum feed ingredients more accurately and conveniently and will help to improve the health and production and will reduce the economic loss of the farmer.