Milk Production in Lactating Buffalo Receiving Recombinantly Produced Bovine Somatotropin

Abstract

Thirty healthy Murrah buffalo (Bubalus bubalis) in their second to fourth lactations were selected from the herd at the National Dairy Research Institute, Karnal, Haryana, India, for use in a 35-d study to determine the effects of recombinantly produced bovine somatotropin on milk production, milk composition, and dry matter intake. Treatments were daily injections of 0, 25, or 50 mg somatotropin per animal for 14 d. All buffalo consumed green chopped fodder ad libitum plus a predetermined quantity of concentrate mixture to each animal, based on individual milk production during the 14-d pretreatment period. The quantity of concentrate mixture fed to each buffalo was not altered during the study. Net increase in milk volume for groups receiving 25 and 30 mg somatotropin was 16.8 and 29.5% over controls. Milk composition, DM intake, and body weights were not affected by treatment.