The study was conducted to evaluate the effect of feeding herbal galactogogue preparation (Sanjivani biokseera) on the milk yield and milk constituents in lactating Kankrej cows. Thirty-two lactating Kankrej cows in their 1st to 6th lactation were taken for the experiment from 3 days after calving up to 52 days postpartum. All the animals were fed as per the standard seasonally available roughages and concentrates to meet their nutritional requirements. The cows were randomly divided into two uniform groups of 16 cows in each according to initial milk yield and milk composition. The animals in group-I were not given any supplement and served as control. The animals in group-II were given Sanjivani biokseera (Naturewell Industries) @ 60 g per day for 1-month, commencing 3 days after calving, in addition to the usual feeds/fodders. A clear difference was observed in milk yield from day 8 onward of experiment between groups with significant (plessthan0 0.05) higher values from day 16-52 in cows fed herbal galactogogue as compared to control, but no such distinct effect on milk constituents was observed on day 52 when analyzed. The use of herbal galactogogue significantly (p lessthan 0.05) increased the overall average of 52 days milk production, which was 9.34 ± 0.21 lit/day in supplemented as compared to 7.75 ± 0.26 lit/day in control animals. It was concluded that herbal galactogogue (Sanjivani biokseera) could increase milk yield in lactating dairy cows through its galactopoetic property and improved rumen environment.

A study was conducted to assess production performance, feed efficiency and their correlation in lactating Kankrej cows at organized farm. The variables such as average dry matter intake, milk yield, milk composition and feed efficiency were evaluated in 49 lactating Kankrej cows over a period of 30 days. The mean dry matter intake was 9.71±0.08 kg/d. The average milk yield and energy corrected milk were 12.45±0.35 kg/d and 14.27±0.47 kg/d, respectively. Feed efficiency was 1.48±0.05 in Kankrej cows, and it was significantly affected by average milk yield and energy corrected milk. The average milk yield and energy corrected milk were highly correlated with feed efficiency. Pearson’s square correlation coefficient was 0.96 between feed efficiency and energy corrected milk.

Fifteen close up pregnant Murrah buffaloes of mean body weight (668.3 ± 24.03) kg, lactation number (2.8 ± 0.17) and expected producing ability (EPA) (2125.7 ± 46.34) were randomly distributed into three groups each of five animals to investigate the performance at different levels of metabolizable energy and protein. Control group was fed as per ICAR Nutrient requirements of animals (2013) recommendation whereas treatment group (1) high metabolizable energy and high metabolizable protein (HMEMP) and group (2) low metabolizable energy and low metabolizable protein (LMEMP) were offered with ration containing 15% more and 15% less ME and MP, respectively. The feeding trial was carried out for the period of 40 days before parturition and continued for 120 days after parturition. Intake of dry matter (DM) (%BW) was similar among experimental groups. Metabolizable energy (ME) (MJ/100 kg BW) and metabolizable protein (MP) (g/100 kg BW) intake was highest in HMEMP followed by control and LMEMP group, respectively. Digestibility trial of 7 days was conducted at 60 days post-partum and it was observed that apparent digestibility coefficients (%) of DM, organic matter (OM), crude protein (CP), ether extracts (EE), neutral detergent fiber (NDF) and acid detergent fiber (ADF) were similar among the experimental groups. Milk yield (kg/kg DMI) was similar among treatment groups whereas 6% fat corrected milk (FCM) was lower in LMEMP group as compared to HMEMP and control. No significant effect of dietary MP and ME levels on milk composition was observed among experimental groups. There were no significant difference in non esterified fatty acid (NEFA), blood urea nitrogen(BUN), growth hormone (GH) and insulin like growth factor-1(IGF-1) concentration among different experimental groups whereas concentration of immunoglobulin G (IgG) (μg/ml) was found to be lower in LMEMP. The study results indicate that nutrient digestibility and lactation performance was not affected with 15% variation in intakes of ME and MP in lactating Murrah buffaloes.

Present experiment was conducted to study the effect of varied levels of metabolizable energy (ME) on performance and antioxidant status of Murrah buffaloes. Advance pregnant Murrah buffaloes (n=16) were randomly divided into three experimental groups i.e., 5, 5 and 6 animals in LME, MME and HME, respectively on the basis of most probable production ability (MPPA) and lactation number. They were fed graded levels of ME, namely low metabolizable energy (LME), medium metabolizable energy (MME), high metabolizable energy (HME) which is 85, 100 and 115 percent of ICAR, 2013 requirements for 130 days, duration i.e., 40 day prepartum to 90 days postpartum. Animals in group LME, MME and HME were offered concentrate with metabolizable energy content (MJ/kg DM) 11.80, 12.18, and 13.85, respectively. Green fodder (maize) and dry roughage (wheat straw) were fed as per the experimental protocol. No significant effect on dry matter intake (DMI), crude protein (CPI) and metabolizable protein (MPI) (% BW) were observed due to dietary variation in ME. ME intake (MJ/100 kg BW) before and after calving was statistical (P<0.05) higher in HME (15.01, 24.66) followed by MME (14.07, 22.11) and LME (12.33, 19.16) groups, respectively. Significant (P<0.05) higher milk yield efficiency (kg/kg DMI) and 6% FCM (kg/kg DMI) were observed in MME in comparison to HME group. The antioxidant profile revealed no significant influence of dietary treatment on superoxide dismutase (SOD) and ferric reducing activity of plasma (FRAP) whereas significant (P<0.05) lower level of antioxidant status i.e., glutathione peroxidase (GPx) (µmol/ L) in HME (1834.60) than LME (2240.23) was observed. Considering optimum production performance and similar antioxidant activity among treatment groups, it can be concluded that ICAR, 2013 recommendations are suitable for feeding transition Murrah buffaloes.

The research work was carried out on Kankrej cattle