Objectives:

• To know the influence of varying sodium bicarbonate levels on parameters like Nutrients intake, Nutrient digestibility and Nitrogen metabolism.
• Optimum weight gain in growing calves and goats.
• Dissemination to the farming community thorough seminars/ workshops and farmer days activities.

Achievements during the period under report:
The studies were initiated at farmers’ filed in Tehsil Toba Tek Singh. Five iso-nitrogenous and iso-caloric diets having 0.00, 0.40, 0.80, 1.20 and 1.60% sodium bicarbonate, respectively, were given to sixty growing buffalo calves (10-12 months old) following a randomized complete block design. First 15 days of the 3 months long experiment, were allocated for adaptation to experimental diets while remaining time for collection of samples. Calves were fed separately twice a day at 0300 and 1400 h at ad libitum but at 10% weight back during collection period. A farmers’ day was organized on 11th June, 2008 at the location of experimental site to educate and encourage the farmers of the area to adopt the technology.