Productive Performance of Lactating Buffaloes Fed Rations Containing Sugar Beet Tops and Corn Silages

Sixteen multiparous lactating buffaloes after 8 weeks of calving and weighing 500 to 600 kg were used in a complete switch-back design with four groups. buffaloes in the first group were fed the control ration (r1) consisted of dm basis of 60% concentrate feed mixture (cfm)+20% rice straw (rs)+20% berseem hay (bh), while in the other groups the rations consisted of dm basis of 40% cfm+20% rs+40% sugar beet tops silage (sbts) and corn silage (cs) in different ratios; 2:1 (r2), 1:1 (r3) and 1:2 (r4), respectively. the digestibility coefficients of dm, om, cf, ee and nfe, tdn value and the intake of dm and tdn increased significantly (p<0.05) with increasing the level of corn silage, however, cp digestibility, dcp value and cp and dcp intake increased (p<0.05) with increasing level of sugar beet tops silage in the rations. the ph value and nh3-n concentration increased (p<0.05) with increasing level of sugar beet tops silage, however, tvfa's concentration increased (p<0.05) with increasing level of corn silage in the rations. buffaloes fed r3 recorded the highest (p<0.05) milk and 7% fcm yield, however, those fed r1, had the lowest yield. the percentages of fat, lactose and ts increased (p<0.05) with increasing the level of corn silage, however, the percentages of protein, snf and ash increased (p<0.05) with increasing the level of sugar beet tops silage in rations. animals fed r3 showed the lowest amounts of dm and tdn required per kg 7% fcm and r4 the lowest amounts of cp and dcp required per kg 7% fcm, however, those fed r1 revealed the highest amounts (p<0.05).