1Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairy Science, Mahatma Phule Krishi Vidyapeeth, Rahuri-413 722, Ahmednagar, Maharashtra, India
*Corresponding Author: Malati Kakasaheb Chavan, Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairy Science, Mahatma Phule Krishi Vidyapeeth, Rahuri-413 722, Ahmednagar, Maharashtra, India, Email: malatichavan1@gmail.com
Online published on 10 July, 2023.
Shatavari (Asparagus racemosus) recommended as a galactagogue in case of lactational insufficiency. Shatavari can also help to boost the immune system, ward off infection of the udder and reproductive organs in cows. It may also be used to reduce the stress of dairy cows and increase their producing ability, resulting in the production of clean and nutritious milk.
The present research work was carried out at the Research cum Development Project, Mahatma Phule Krishi Vidyapeeth, Rahuri, Dist- Ahmednagar, Maharashtra. Twenty physically fit milking crossbred cows have been selected for the study and divided into four equal groups, five having five animals each. All the cows from treatment groups were fed as per ICAR (2013) feeding standard to meet the nutritional requirement. The experimental animals from group T1, T2, T3 and T4 were fed a diet containing shatavari root powder @ 0, 40, 80 and 120 gm/cow/day respectively for a period of 60 days.
At the time of milking, each cow's daily milk output (kg) was recorded. The current study found that supplementing with shatavari root powder enhanced milk production significantly (P<0.05) over the control group (T1).
Asparagus racemosus, Crossbred cattle, Milk yield, Shatavari root powder
