Effect of Mineral Mixture and Common Salt on Milk Production and their Reproductive Performance in Indigenous Cow- an On-Farm Trial (OFT)

Abstract

An on-farm trial was conducted to assess the effect of mineral mixture and common salt feeding on milk production and reproductive performances of indigenous dairy animals in Pokhran region of Jaisalmer district of Rajasthan during 2018-19. Twenty indigenous dairy animals from ten farmers were selected in their lactation phase and divided in to two groups of 10 animals in each. First treatment group (T) was fed with 55 gm mineral mixture and 30 gm common salt daily till 150 days of lactation. Other control group (C) was kept devoid from additional mineral mixture and common salt feeding which is farmer practice in that particular area. During the study milk production parameters like avg. daily milk yield, peak yield, total milk yield, milk fat %, SNF % and reproductive parameters like days of first post- partum estrus, service period, service per conception, conception rate were compared between treatment and control groups. Results show that there was 11.76 percent increment in milk production found with supplementation of mineral mixture and common salt as compared to farmer practice. It was observed that avg. daily milk yield, peak yield and total 150 days milk yield of lactation period were found significantly (P ≤ 0.05) higher by 0.6, 1.10 and 90 lit in treatment group as compared to control group, however milk composition parameter such as milk fat and SNF % were differed non-significantly between treatment and control group. It may be concluded in terms of gross return Rs.34200, net return Rs.25320 and B: C ratio was found 3.85 respectively superior in improved practices. Moreover, mineral mixture and common salt fed group had better effect in terms of reproductive efficiency of dairy animals. It is found that first post-partum estrus and conception rate were found significantly (P ≤ 0.05) shorter and higher respectively in treatment group as compared to control group. It can be concluded from the above on farm trial that continuous feeding of mineral mixture and common salt are beneficial for balancing the ration which leads to improve productivity and reproduction efficiency of indigenous dairy animals.