As seen in Table 3, it was determined that the daily average dry matter consumption of buffaloes during lactation varied between 8.46 ± 0.13–11.65 ± 0.47 kg. The highest feed consumption was found in group 4, followed by groups 3, 2, and 1, respectively. Especially during the experiment, the total DM consumption of adult buffaloes in group 4 and group 3 increased when compared with young buffaloes (p < 0.05).It can be said that this situation arises as a result of higher body weight and milk yield of adult buffaloes compared to young buffaloes. Depending on the increase in the CP level in the diets, a slight increase was observed in the total dry matter consumption. As a matter of fact, when DM consumption is examined in Table 3, it is seen that the adult buffalo group fed with R2 ration in the main period was 0.35 kg / day higher than the adult buffalo group fed with R1 ration.Similarly, there was an increase of 0.18 kg / day in young buffaloes fed with R1 and R2 rations. However, the differences between the dry matter consumption of buffaloes between the groups fed with R1 and R2 rations were found to be insignificant. The results of this study are consistent with the research findings, which reported that there is no difference between the DM consumption of cows as the CP level of the ration increases (Polan et al., 1976; Foldager & Huber, 1979; Cressman, et al., 1980; Olmos Colmenoro and Broderick, 2006).However, some researchers reported a difference between the DM consumption of cows fed rations containing different CP content (Roffler et al., 1978; Van Horn et al., 1979).In a study conducted, Broderick (2003) reported that the increase in CP at the level of 15.1%, 16.7 and 18.3% in the ration linearly increased DM consumption in dairy cows, whereas the ration containing 18.3% CP was insignificant in increasing milk yield. Cressman, et al., 1980) stated that DM consumption increased by 1.9 kg / day in the cows fed with 18% CP in the first period of lactation compared to the cow group fed 12% CP whereas it decreased in the group fed with 15% CP. He reported that this decrease was due to excessive conditioning stress. Similarly, Ipharraquerre and Clark (2005) reported on dry matter consumption (14-29.4 kg / day) and milk yield (15.1–45.5 kg / day) of feeding diets with different CP content (12.1–23.3%) in dairy cows. It was determined that it had a significant effect. The main differences in the literature are thought to be due to differences in animal factor, temperature inside the shelter, daylight, humidity, stress, particle size of the ration, energy level of the ration and structural polysaccharide content of the ration.
As seen in Table 3, the milk yield of buffaloes according to the groups are; It was determined that it varied between 4.22 ± 0.35–6.34 ± 0.06 kg / day.
As a result of the research, daily milk yield of buffaloes in the 4th group fed with R2 ration increased compared to the other groups (P < 0.05; Table 3).On the other hand, while the increase in crude protein level in the ration increased the milk yield of adult buffaloes, it had an insignificant effect on young buffaloes. As seen in Table 3; At the end of the main period, the average daily milk yield of adult buffalo cows in the 3rd and 4th groups fed with rations containing CP at two different levels (R1; R2;) varied between 5.64 ± 0.14 and 6.34 ± 0.06 kg / day, respectively. It was observed that the average daily milk yield of buffaloes increased due to the increase in the pulp level added to the ration. It was determined that 35% pulp layer (R2) in the ration significantly increased the average daily milk yield in buffaloes (11.04%; p < 0.05).These increases in milk yield levels are the result of higher DM consumption in this group. In young buffaloes, average daily milk yield ranged between 4.22 ± 0.35, 4.36 ± 0.05 kg / day, and their milk yield was higher in the group fed with R2 and low in the group fed R1.However, as a result of the analysis, it was determined that the difference between the groups was statistically insignificant and the crude protein changes in the ration did not have a significant effect on the average daily milk yield of heifers (p > 0.05).In a study on the subject, it was stated that cows in the 2nd and 3rd lactation fed with mixed feed with 15–16% crude protein (CP) produced more milk than cows fed with mixed feed with 12% CP content. However, it was reported that no significant difference was found in young cows consuming similar compound feed Roffler et al. (1978).Investigating the effects of rations containing CP at different levels (12%, 15% and 18%) on milk yield in cows and heifers, Cressman et al. (1980) It was determined that the milk yield of cows in the experimental group fed with a ration containing 18% CP was 18.85% higher than the milk yield of cows in the group fed with a 12% CP ration (p < 0.05), whereas the protein increase in the ration did not affect the milk yield .However, Leonardi et al., 2003; stated that when the CP level of the ration is increased to (16.1–18.8%), the increase in milk yield is lower. Similarly, it was reported that there was no significant difference in milk yield in dairy cows fed with a ration containing 16.5% 17.9 and 19.4 CP (Olmos Colmenoro and Broderick, 2006).However, a linear increase was observed in milk yield depending on the increased CP ratio (7.82 and 14.94%).The results obtained were found to be lower than the findings of Olmos Colmenoro and Broderick (2006).It can be said that this difference is due to species difference. As a result of the research, all the findings obtained from the research regarding the protein differences and milk yield of the rations are in great agreement with the results of similar studies on this subject and are supported by the results of these studies (Gardner and Park., (1973), Polan et al., (1976), Roffler et al. (1978), Cressman, et al. (1980) Anonymous (2001), Ipharraquerre and Clark (2005).At the end of the main period, the average daily milk yields of the experimental animals in groups 1, 2, 3 and 4, adjusted for 4% fat, were determined as 6.94 ± 0.17, 7.01 ± 0.21, 7.42 ± 0.50 and 7.97 ± 0.08, respectively. The differences between the groups in terms of milk yield corrected for(chart 3) 4% fat were statistically insignificant. When the effects of using pulp at different levels in dense feed on the components of milk were examined, it was determined that the average milk protein levels of the experimental animals fed rations containing R1 and R2 dense feed varied between 4.04 ± 0.14–4.49 ± 0.25, respectively (Table 3).Differences between rations in terms of milk protein levels in the main period were statistically insignificant. It can be said that the reason for this is the starch-based feed raw materials in the protein formation in milk compared to the protein-based feed raw materials included in the ration (Degirmencioglu and Karabulut, 2010).As it is known, with the increase in the amount of starch given to the animal, glucose provides more amino acids to the mammary glands by preventing the deamination of amino acids in the small intestine tissues and liver, resulting in an increase in milk protein level (Chamberlain and Wilkinson 1998).The conclusion obtained from the study that diets containing different levels of CP do not affect the milk protein content (Van Horn et al., 1976, Kwan et al., 1977, Grieve et al., 1980, Cunningham et al., 1996, Broderick, 2003 and Leonardi et al., 2003) 's reports. As seen in Table 3, the average milk fat levels of buffaloes ranged from 5.72 ± 0.06 to 8.32 ± 0.33.When young buffaloes in the same lactation period are compared with the adult buffalo group, the increase is striking. (P < 0.05).It can be said that low milk yield in these young buffaloes may cause an increase in milk fat.
However, it was observed that using different levels of CP in the dense feed mixture did not affect the fat level in milk.
As a matter of fact, in a similar study conducted by Olmos Colmenoro and Broderick, 2006) on the subject, researchers determined that increasing levels of CP in dense feed (17.9–19.4%) did not affect milk fat (3.47–3.44%).