Growth Performance and Economic Evaluation of Fattening Male Egyptian Buffalo Calves

A., El-Attar; Badran, A.; Mahdy, A.; El-Barbary, A.

doi:10.21608/japfp.2017.7414

Growth Performance and Economic Evaluation of Fattening Male Egyptian Buffalo Calves

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

¹ Animal and Fish Production Department, Faculty of Agriculture (El-Shatby), Alexandria University, (Aflaton Street, El-Shatby, Alexandria) – 22545, Egypt

² Animal and Fish Production Department, Faculty of Agriculture (El-Shatby), Alexandria University, (Aflaton Street, El-Shatby, Alexandria) – 22545, Egyp

10.21608/japfp.2017.7414

Abstract

Data of 8235 male buffalo calves belong to a commercial farm covering the period from 2006 to 2014 were
used in this study. Data were classified into 5 categories according to initial weights, 4 seasons, 9 years and 4 fattening
period categories. All factors under study affected (P< 0.05) growth performance of fattening buffalo calves. Calves
with initial weight 120-150 kg performed the best results as compared to other classes of initial weights. Additionally,
the Autumn season had the heaviest marketing weight and the highest daily gain (454.14 ± 0.92 and 1.013 ± 0.003 kg,
respectively) and the best feed conversion ratio (8.4 ± 0.10 kg DM/ kg gain). Also, the shortest fattening period (5-6
mo) showed the best fattening performance, the highest average daily gain (1.22 ± 0.007 kg /d) and the best feed
conversion ratio (7.44 ± 0.19 kg DM / kg gain). In addition, average daily gain > 1 kg achieved the lowest cost of feed
and total cost per kg gain (9.5 and 12.04 LE/kg gain, respectively), the best economic efficiency (1.67), the highest
profit (2542.86 LE) and annual return of investment (52.99%) compared with the other average daily gain categories (<
1.00 kg).

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