The Growth Performance Of F1 Murrah Crossbred Buffalo (Muurah x Local) Compared To Local Buffaloes In Long An Province
The study was conducted to evaluate the growth performance and feed conversion of F1 Murrah crossbred buffaloes (Murrah × local breed) compared to local buffaloes in Long An province. A total of 60 F1 Murrah crossbred buffaloes and 60 local buffaloes were monitored from birth to 18 months of age. Growth traits such as body weight, weight gain, feed intake, and feed cost were recorded and analyzed. The results showed that the F1 Murrah crossbred buffaloes exhibited superior growth performance compared to local buffaloes across all age stages and in both males and females. The average body weights of F1 Murrah crossbreds at birth and at 18 months of age were 38.16 kg and 458.04 kg, respectively. At 18 months, the body weight of F1 Murrah crossbreds was 24.54% higher than that of local buffaloes. The average daily weight gain from birth to 18 months was 777.73 g/head/day for the F1 Murrah group, which was 24.27% higher than that of the local group. The feed conversion ratio (FCR) for F1 Murrah crossbreds was lower than that of local buffaloes in terms of dry matter, metabolizable energy, and crude protein. Consequently, the feed cost per kilogram of weight gain for F1 Murrah crossbreds was 3,000 VND lower than that of local buffaloes.
