Six lactating buffaloes. about 530 kg body weight in the 3^rd- s" parity were selected
randomly at. their peak of lactation to study the effect of groundnut vines hay as a
substitution of berseem hay at two levels on performance of lactating buffaloes using
"Swing over method to evaluate the following experimental rations: 1) Control ration
(CR) 40% concentrate mixture (CM) of total OM requirements and berseem hay (BH)
ad. lib. 2) 1^5t tested ration (TR1) 40% CM of total OM requirements and groundnut
vines hay (GVH) ad. lib. 3) 2^nd tested ration (TR2) 25% CM of total OM requirements
and groundnut vines hay (GVH) ad. lib. The digestibilities of OM. OM and CF were
higher for TR1 and TR2 compared to CR with no significant difference. While CP
digestibility of CR was significantly (p < O.05) higher than those. of TR 1 and TR2. The
digestibilities of EE and NFE of CR were significantly (p < 0.5) lower than both of tested
rations. The TON of TR1 and TR2 were significantly (p < 0.05) higher than that of CR.
while OCP were significantly (p < 0.05) lower. Milk, fat corrected milk production and
milk fat percent of animals fed either TR1 or TR2 were higher than those of animals
fed CR with no significant difference. From foregoing results, Integration of GVH at 60% or 75% from
required DM reduced feeding cost for producing either kg milk or kg butter. it
could be concluded that, GVH can be used as a substitution to BH in lactating
buffalo rations at 60% or 75% from DM required and hence reduced feeding
cost of milk yield.