Effect of a Wonder Herb Azolla on Buffaloes Milk Yield

Abstract

Azolla is a free floating, rapidly growing aquatic fern on water surface. It is one of the most nutritive aquatic plants, owing to its high protein and carotenoid contents and of generally good amino acid profile. Traditional supplements based on oilseed cakes are expensive and cannot fulfill the required nutrients to animals. Forage-based economical feeding strategies are required to reduce production cost of quality livestock products. Productivity of dairy animals largely depends of efficient feeding management. The Scientists of Krishi Vigyan Kendra Karouli introduced azolla in villages of District by demonstration conducted at farmers’ field. The farmers were trend by on and off campus practical training on azolla production technology. Thereafter, a survey was conducted in different villages where demonstrations of azolla were established by KVK Scientists and an On Farm Trail was conducted to study the effect of a wonder herb azolla on buffaloes milk yield. For this purpose 20 lactating buffaloes of first to third lactation of 4 to 8 years old at mid lactation were selected and divided into two groups of ten animals in each. The control group (C) farmers practice was fed wheat straw with mustard oilseed cake, whereas the treatment group (T) was fed framers practice with supplementation of 2 Kg fresh green azolla pinnata. The feeding trial lasted for three months. During the trial milk yield were recorded and found the milk yield was significantly higher in treatment group.