At this phase requirement for high plane of nutrition and good quality feed is not essential. Calves can be reared on coarse fodder and straw based diet. Quality of feed or amount of ration will largely depend on target growth rate. Generally, 12% CP and 58-60% TDN in ration will support 450-550g average daily growth rate at this phase. In buffalo heifers puberty is achieved when animals attain threshold body weight that is about 50-70% of mature body weight. Hence scientific feeding at rearing stage to support optimum growth rate is required to attain threshold body weight at early age. With proper feeding puberty is attained at age of 17-21 months at body weight of 270-300 Kg. Heifers can be served when they attain 300-325 Kg body weight. However, very high plane of energy nutrition inhibits development of milk secretary tissue in mammary gland, which in turn reduces lifetime milk production ability.

Generally, a growth rate of 500-600 g/d between 100 and 300 Kg body weight is considered optimum growth rate for Indian buffalo heifers. Underfeeding that reduces growth rates during the rearing phase to 50% of the animal’s potential delays puberty significantly. For attaining 450- 500 g daily weight gain a concentrate mixture containing 20% CP and 63% TDN may be fed @ 1.5, 2.0, 2.5 and 3.0 Kg per head per day at 100, 150, 200 and 250 Kg body weight or above along with 10 Kg green fodder and ad libitum straw. The concentrate mixture can be prepared by mixing crushed cereal grain, wheat bran, rice bran, mustard cake, soybean cake or groundnut cake, mineral mixture and salt in the ratio of 35: 15:25:10:10: 2:1 or 30:20:17:15:15: 2:1. When green fodder is not available, additional 1 Kg concentrate mixture should be fed as replacement of 10 Kg green fodder. For faster growth rate additional 1 Kg concentrate may be fed daily.

contributed by S.S Paul and Sunesh