doi:10.5455/vetworld.2013.214-218 Effect of polyherbal galactogogue supplementation on milk yield and quality as well as general health of Surti buffaloes of south Gujarat

Aim: A polyherbal galactogogue based on indigenous knowledge of tribles (Bhagats) belonging to Patalkot (Madhya Pradesh), Dangs (Gujarat) and Aravallis (Rajasthan) was evaluated on lactating Surti buffaloes (medium sized buffalo breed of South Gujarat which is best suitable for small and marginal farmers as well as landless labourers/tribal with less input resources). Materials and Methods: A total of 22 lactating Surti buffaloes maintained at Livestock Research Station, Navsari Agricultural University, Gujarat, India were randomly allotted to treatment and control group (11 buffaloes in each group). Two polyherbal galactogogue biscuits (19 g each) per day for initial 10 days of the month over a period of three months were supplemented to buffaloes in treatment group. The daily milk yield of all 22 buffaloes was recorded. Milk samples from all experimental buffaloes at fortnight interval were analyzed on automatic milk analyzer. The pooled gain/loss of BCS in all the buffaloes was worked out. DMI (%) were also worked out by averaging all fortnight observations. Results: A significant higher (p<0.05) total milk yield (14.24 %) of treatment group was recorded. The effect of polyherbal galactogogue biscuits was non-significant on milk compositions. Dry matter intake /100 kg body weight (DMI %) was found significantly (p<0.01) better in treatment over control. The buffaloes of treatment group had lost significantly (p<0.01) lesser body condition scoring (BCS) than control however, both groups had lost BCS from initial BCS. The net profit of treatment was Rs.339.90/animal/month higher than control and calculated cost-benefit ratio of treatment and control groups was 1:1.62 and 1:1.52 respectively.


Introduction
production.Keeping in view the preservation of animal health and prevention of excessive stress on its Optimal milk production is the basic requirement production capacity through hormone and alike, a in the management of dairy economics.As a highly holistic approach making use of herbal formulations demanding period, transition can be affected by many has come up as a desirable approach.Majority of these factors that could compromise the health, productivity herbal preparations have however not been thoroughly and reproductive performance of dairy animals.
scientifically evaluated but their traditional use Nutritional strategies can be used to prevent metabolic suggested some safety and efficacy [4].In order to diseases in the early days post-calving and to increase restore the animal productivity and to optimize the milk production.A wide variety of additional feed milk production in individual animals for better profits, additives exist that may also have potential for use over various drugs, herbal preparations, hormones, mineral a few weeks pre-partum and post-partum.Beyond supplements and feed additives have been tried with appropriate feeding management, the administration of variable results [2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11].some additives such as plant extracts, enzymes, Leptadenia reticulata, Asparagus racemosus, glucose precursors, probiotics, choline and vitamin E Nigella sativa and many more are known for galactomay be helpful in ameliorating nutrient utilization and gogue effect [12].Researchers have also reported availability with a consequent improvement of milk significant galactopoitic response in various milch yield, milk protein, milk fat and milk somatic cell animals [3][4][5][6][7][8][9][11][12][13][14][15][16][17][18][19].Singhal [9] observed as high as count.These additives may also improve health status, ® 31.10%increase in milk yield of Payapro fed cows, which implies a decrease of early post-partum diseases whereas, Qureshi [7] not only observed an increase in and better reproductive performance [1-3].
milk yield but also an increase in the fat percentage of Galactogogues / lactogogues are medications or ® milk in dairy cows fed with Lectovet (a herbal other substances believed to assist in the initiation, combination).Baig and Bhagwat [5] also reported maintenance, or augmentation of maternal milk improvement in milk yield, CLR, Fat and SNF % on experimental animals were tied with GI chain in their ® respective stalls.The identification number of use of Galactin Vet in dairy cows.Herbal preparations respective animal was written on the inner upper edge have also been shown to relieve the heat stress in dairy of feeding passage wall just in front of the respective cows and ultimately improve their productivity [20].
treatment group of animals for convenience in feeding Sridhar and Bhagwat [21] also reported significant and management.improvement in heamoglobin, serum calcium and total ® A total of 22 lactating Surti buffaloes (medium protein levels after treatment of Galactin Vet with sized buffalo breed of South Gujarat which is best 5.48% increased milk yield which indicates the good suitable for small and marginal farmers as well as health of the animals.Kolte and co-workers [15] also landless labourers/tribal with less input resources) reported that indigenous herbal preparations maintained at LRS, NAU, Navsari were selected.They effectively restored the altered milk constituents and were randomly allotted to treatment and control group increased the milk production in cows with sub-clinical (eleven buffaloes in each group).The mean lactation mastitis.However, Şekerden [22] reported that in yield of previous month, parity, days in milk and milk milking animals, lactation stage is one of the major compositions did not differ significantly at p<0.05 factors influencing yield and compositions of milk in between two groups at the start of experiment.All buffalo.Whereas, Mech and co-workers [23] found animals were dewormed in the month of January, 2011 that Total protein, Lactose, SNF and Ash did not vary ® with Liq.Zycloze (Zydus Pharmaceuticals).All the significantly except fat content of milk on use of herbal animals remained always tied except for milking as it preparations in animals.
was done in milking parlor.A polyherbal galactogogue which is a purely The fodders and feed used in the experiment was herbal and based on indigenous knowledge of tribles paddy straw as dry fodder, lucerne and hybrid napier (Bhagats) belonging to Patalkot (Madhya Pradesh), grass as green fodders and Sumul Dan as concentrate.Dangs (Gujarat) and Aravallis (Rajasthan) for inducing Fodder crops were cultivated either on the fodder farm and maintaining lactation in humans.It includes unique of LRS, Navsari or other research farms of NAU at formulation that included various parts of 16 Navsari and Sumul Dan manufactured by co-operative medicinally important plants as listed out in Table-1.
cattle feed factory of Sumul dairy at Chalthan, Surat days of the month during the treatment period for 89 days (1st February to 30th April, 2011).Same quantity The present study had been planned to assess the of Sumul Dan was also been given to each of the effect of a polyherbal galactogogue on lactating Surti buffaloes in control group over and above routine buffaloes in respect of milk yield, milk compositions feeding of concentrate at the time of milking to and general health status.
buffaloes of both the groups.

Materials and Methods
All buffaloes were milked twice a day in milking parlor i.e. morning between 4:00-5:00 a.m. and Ethical approval: Necessary permission of Instituevening 4:00-5:00 p.m.The milk had been collected tional animal ethics committee was taken before after hand milking of each buffalo into a clean and initiation of experiment.
dried stainless steel bucket and was weighed on The present experiment was conducted at the electronic weighing balance and recorded in daily milk Livestock Research Station, Navsari Agricultural yield register.The milk samples were collected from all University, Navsari, Gujarat state, India.The duration experimental buffaloes during morning and evening at of this study was 89 days i.e. from 1st February to 30th fortnight interval.The collected milk samples were April, 2011 excluding Initial 10 days that was analyzed on automatic milk analyzer i.e.Lactoscan considered as preliminary period.The experiment was Milk Analyzer from Bulgaria.All animals were conducted in both sides of pakka animal shed with weighed on weighing balance at the start of the separate iron experimental stalls for each animal.The The body condition scoring of buffaloes increase in milk yield from 9.12 to 31.10 % on were recorded by using 1-5 score with increment of supplementation of herbal galactogogue preparations 0.25 at first and last day of experiment.The pooled [3-9, 13-18, 21].Anjaria and Gupta [14] reported the significant increase in milk yield of goats, sheep, cows gain/loss of BCS in all the buffaloes was also worked and buffaloes with Leptadenia reticulata.Ramesh and out.The feed and fodders as per the feeding schedule associated [8] also reported net gain in milk yield of were weighed before feeding and supplied separately 0.819 litres per HF cross-bred cow per day after to the experimental buffaloes.The DMI % was ® calculated by considering initial body weight of feeding of Galactin -a polyherbal galactogogue.Further, they found that increased milk yield during the animals.The pooled observations pertaining to DMI declining phase after peak production of milk was were worked out by averaging all fortnight observasustained for a minimum period of 3 weeks.The effect tions.Feed cost was calculated based on feed of herbal preparations might have helped in optimizing ingredients offered daily.The rates of feed ingredients the ruminal fermentation that ultimately increased the were taken in to calculation as fixed by Navsari nutrient availability for milk production [6].Dadkhah Agricultural University except concentrate and and Yeganehzad [26] resulted 20-40% increase in daily mineral mixtures as their actual purchase price were milk production in cows due to using the plant extracts taken into consideration.Milk yield and cost of feed (Medicago Sativa, Trigonella Foenum and Carum was calculated on monthly basis.Cost-benefit ratio Carvi).They further found 12-25.2% and 3-17% was calculated based on market value of milk and total increased levels of prolactin and insulin as well as feeding cost of the month.blood glucose levels, respectively.Increased appetite The means of all particular observations were and noticeable improvement in their general health analyzed as per standard statistical procedure using condition was also observed by them.During the Student t-test described by Snedecor and Cochran [25].
present study, the effect of polyherbal galactogogue

Results and Discussion
biscuits was not observed better as compared to previous reports as Surti buffaloes of LRS were The average milk yield of control and treatment maintained on standard managemental conditions as group is given in Table-3.The average milk yield of well as feeding schedule.While it might have better control group over a period of 89 days was recorded as effect at farmer's door step as animal may or may not be 364.85litres, whereas, in treatment group, it was on balanced ration and standard managemental recorded as 416.82 litres with the difference of 51.97 conditions.litres.The milk yield of treatment group was found The means of various milk compositions are significantly higher than the control group (p<0.05)given in Table-3.The milk compositions i.e.Fat, SNF with 14.24% higher in average milk yield over control and Lactose except protein in treatment group were group.Earlier, number of researchers had reported an  recorded slightly higher than that of group and efficiency of feed utilization to alleviate adverse effects means did not differ significantly (p<0.05) between of environmental stress and to enhance the overall two groups.The results were in accordance with earlier animal performance and health.findings of scientists [5,[27][28][29].

Table - 2
. Percent proportion and proximate compositions of feed ingredients offered (DM basis) Means of milk yield and compositions in Surti buffaloes influenced by polyherbal galactogogue biscuits

Table - 4
. Effect of polyherbal galactogogue biscuits on DMI and BCS of Surti buffaloes Means differing by superscript in a row are significant (p<0.01)

Table - 5
. Net return and cost-benefit ratio as influenced by supplementation of polyherbal galactogogue biscuits