Apricot Fortified-Urea Molasses Mineral Blocks Ushering Feed Supplement for Cross Bred Cattle in the Cold Arid Kargil Region of J&K State

Abstract

A study was carried out in a village at Kargil taking lactating crossbred cows, maintained under a smallholder mixed farming system to assess the response of wild apricot fortified-urea molasses mineral block (UMMB) supplementation on milk yield and cost effectiveness during the unavailability of adequate fodder. Forty adult crossbred cows were selected, 20 cows were given free access to Apricot-UMMB in addition to their normal ration and the other 20 cows served as control group. It was studied that crossbred cows given apricot-UMMB supplementation showed significant increase in feed intake, milk yield, fertility rate and body weight gain. The health condition of Group I, supplemented with apricot specific UMMB after 5^rd week proved to be improving than the Group II dairy cattle. A significant increase (P<0.01) in daily milk yield was observed as a result of apricot-UMMB supplementation after 7^th week.  Further, it was observed that there was improvement in dry hay intake and overall health condition in those dairy cows. Hence, apricot-UMMB supplementation is cost effective method to utilize locally available feed resource for enhanced animal productivity during extreme winter and feed scarcity seasons in cold arid regions of Kargil area.