Impact of dried distillers grains with solubles as a partial substitute for soybean meal on haematological indices in lactating Murrah buffaloes

Abstract

The present study was conducted to evaluate the impact of dried distillers grains with solubles (DDGS) as a partial substitute for soybean meal on haematological indices, specifically haemoglobin (Hb) and packed cell volume (PCV), in lactating Murrah buffaloes. A total of twenty-one early lactating Murrah buffaloes (30±5 days in milk) were selected and randomly allocated into three dietary treatment groups, each comprising seven animals. The control group (T0) was fed a conventional diet without DDGS, whereas in treatment groups T1 and T2, soybean meal was replaced with DDGS at 25% and 50%, respectively, in the concentrate mixture. The feeding trial was conducted for a period of 120 days under uniform management and feeding conditions. Blood samples were collected from all experimental animals on days 0, 60, and 120 of the trial prior to feeding. Haematological parameters, including haemoglobin concentration and packed cell volume, were analyzed using standard laboratory procedures. The results revealed that dietary inclusion of DDGS had no significant (p>0.05) effect on haemoglobin and PCV values across all treatment groups throughout the experimental period. Haemoglobin levels ranged from 9.51 to 9.95 g/dL, while PCV values varied between 37.05% and 37.57%, indicating that all values remained within the normal physiological range for lactating buffaloes. Although a slight numerical increase in Hb and PCV was observed in DDGS-supplemented groups over time, these differences were not statistically significant. The maintenance of stable haematological parameters suggests that partial replacement of soybean meal with DDGS did not adversely affect oxygen-carrying capacity or overall health status of the animals. In conclusion, DDGS can safely replace up to 50% of soybean meal in the diet of lactating Murrah buffaloes without any detrimental effects on haemoglobin and packed cell volume. Therefore, DDGS represents a viable, economical, and nutritionally sound alternative protein source for sustainable dairy production.