Yield gap analyses to estimate attainable bovine milk yields and evaluate options to increase production in Ethiopia and India.

Livestock provides an important source of income and nourishment for around one billion rural households worldwide. Demand for livestock food products is increasing, especially in developing countries, and there are opportunities to increase production to meet local demand and increase farm incomes. Estimating the scale of livestock yield gaps and better understanding factors limiting current production will help to define the technological and investment needs in each livestock sector. The aim of this paper is to quantify livestock yield gaps and evaluate opportunities to increase dairy production in Sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia, using case studies from Ethiopia and India. We combined three different methods in our approach. Benchmarking and a frontier analysis were used to estimate attainable milk yields based on survey data. Household modelling was then used to simulate the effects of various interventions on dairy production and income. We tested interventions based on improved livestock nutrition and genetics in the extensive lowland grazing zone and highland mixed crop-livestock zones of Ethiopia, and the intensive irrigated and rainfed zones of India. Our analyses indicate that there are considerable yield gaps for dairy production in both countries, and opportunities to increase production using the interventions tested. In some cases, combined interventions could increase production past currently attainable livestock yields.

Effect of different level and source of copper supplementation on immune response and copper dependent enzyme activity in lambs.

An experiment was conducted on 30 male Nellore lambs with average body weight (BW) of 15.45 +/- 0.06 kg to determine the level of the copper (Cu) supplementation in diet from inorganic and organic sources required for optimum immunity and its effect on copper dependent enzymes by allotting them randomly to five groups in completely randomized design. The dietary treatments were viz., basal diet (no Cu supplementation, BD), other four groups were offered BD supplemented with 7 or 14 ppm Cu from copper sulphate (CuSO(4)) and Cu-proteinate, respectively. The lambs were fed the respective diets at 3.5 per cent BW to meet the requirements except Cu for 180 days. The humoral immune response against Brucella abortus and chicken RBC was assessed after 90 days of feeding. The in vivo delayed type hyper sensitivity reaction against PHA-P and in vitro lymphocyte proliferation against Con A indicative of cell mediated immune response (CMI) was assayed at 180 days of feeding. At the end of experiment four lambs from each group were slaughtered for estimation of liver superoxide dismutase activity (SOD). The ceruloplasmin and RBC-SOD activities were higher (P < 0.05) in 14 ppm Cu supplemented lambs from Cu-proteinate at 90 and 180 days, while the liver SOD activity was higher (P < 0.05) in lambs fed 14 ppm Cu from CuSO(4). The STAT titres against B. abortus were higher in Cu supplemented lambs, with no effect of dose of supplementation. Lambs supplemented with Cu-proteinate had higher titers than CuSO(4) on 7 and 14 days of post sensitization. The total immunoglobulin concentration and the CMI response against PHA-P and Con-A was higher (P < 0.05) in lambs fed 14 ppm Cu-proteinae diet. The IgM level was though high in Cu supplemented lambs, no dose or source effect were observed. The study indicated that Cu dependent enzymes activity and immune response were highest and respond better against stress in lambs on 14 ppm supplemented Cu from Cu-proteinate.

Effect of supplementation of dietary protected lipids on intake and nutrient utilization in Deccani lambs.

Four complete isonitrogenous (crude protein 13%) rations with 0 (T1), 5 (T2), 10 (T3) and 15 (T4) per cent calcium soap from red palm oil (protected fat) were formulated and evaluated using four Deccani lambs (19.32 +/- 0.82 kg) in a completely randomized design at the end of a growth trial. The average daily dry matter intake (% body weight or g/kg W0.75 per day) in lambs fed ration T4 was significantly (p < 0.05) lower than in those fed rations T1, T2, and T3. There was no significant difference in the digestibility of proximate principles and cell-wall constituents except for ether extract (EE) and cellulose. EE digestibility was significantly (p < 0.05) higher by 15.71, 14.65 and 11.56 percentage units, respectively in lambs fed rations T2, T3 and T4 as compared to those fed ration T1. Ration T4 had significantly (p < 0.05) lower cellulose digestibility than rations T1, T2 and T3. Nitrogen and phosphorous balances (g/day) were not significantly (p > 0.05) different among the four rations. Calcium balance (g/day) was higher by 0.65, 1.39 and 1.40, respectively, in lambs fed rations T2 (p > 0.05) and T3 and T4 (p < 0.05) in comparison to those fed ration T1. Digestible crude protein and total digestible nutrients content (g/kg DM) of rations were not significantly (p > 0.05) different among the four rations. It is concluded that calcium soap from red palm oil can be supplemented up to 10% level as a concentrated energy source in the rations of Deccani lambs without any adverse effect on dry matter intake and cellulose digestibility.