Livestock sector, in India, is one of the largest sectors in the world and about 20.5 million people
depend upon livestock for their livelihood in India. Indian Livestock sector provides livelihood to
about 65% of rural people besides providing employment to about 8.8 % of the population. In India,
the dairy market reached INR 14899.8 billion in 2022 and likely to grow (CAGR) at the rate of 13.2%
to reach INR 31185.7 billion by 2028.
One of the biggest limitations when it comes to feed animals is about micronutrient nutrition. In
India, supplementation of micronutrients (Vitamins, Minerals, Carotenoids, Rumen Modulators
etc.)need to be made available to dairy animals as per their requirement. Information about life
stage- based Micronutrient supplementation to dairy animals should be made available to all
stakeholdersin this segment without delay in a systematic & pragmatic manner.
In recent times, many Guidelines about Micronutrient supplementation to dairy animals have been
suggested. Vitamin & Mineral supplementation Guidelines are already there from NDDB (Guidelines
for award of ‘Quality mark’ for cattle feed variants and mineral mixtures, December, 2017) & BIS (IS
1664,2002) for Cattle feed manufactured for dairy animals with different production potential.
Adherence to these Guidelines depends upon cost of raw Materials required to produce Cattle feed
which has seen tremendous volatility in price in recent years. Apart from this, due to various
reasons, most of the cattle feed manufacturers are also not keen to produce Stage based cattle
feed. This leads to dependence of dairy animals on micronutrient containing feed supplements
/Premixes available in market.
When it comes to formulate & market Premix containing Micronutrients or feed supplement for
dairy animals, guidelines for productive dairy animals are followed in maximum cases. One Feed
supplement is suggested for all life stages whether it is a 3 months calf, or 10 months heifer or Pre
calving stage or differs stages of lactation. Most of the times, only different quantity is suggested
instead of different premix formulation as per need of life stage. It is also surprising that in field
conditions, prescriptions are being written without any concern of same premix to all stages of dairy
animals, may it be calf or heifer or dairy or lactating one.
Let us start from birth of calf. Calves require on an average, 3 months to develop proper rumen
structure. Only after proper rumen development, adequate production of water-soluble vitamins is
possible in ruminants. Ideal Rumen conditions are needed for other micronutrient Production.
Requirement of fat-soluble vitamins & minerals is also variable as per age & weight of dairy animals.
Most of the recommendations (NRC,2001) are either live weight or dry matter intake based. Specific
premixes of Micronutrients are required to achieve best ADG, & Immune status in Calves.
There are many recommendations & researches available specifying micronutrient requirement of
calves. Moreover, in field, tremendous results have been observed when Micronutrient Premixes are
prepared as per given guidelines for suckling & weaned Calves. Like For suckling Calves, Vitamin A
recommendations are of 110IU/kg of live weight (NRC, 2001). The NRC (2001) Recommends 50 IU/Kg
of DM of Vitamin E for suckling calves.
Water soluble vitamins have been traditionally considered non-essential for cattle, due to the
contribution of synthesis by ruminal microorganisms. On the other hand, when rumen is not
functioning fully, as in the case of preruminant calves & abnormal rumen conditions (acidosis,
indigestion, reduced intake, etc.) the intake of water-soluble vitamins will be a limiting factor.
Supplementation of folic acid can Increase Productive efficiency (Erdman, 1992). In preruminant
Calves poor bacterial synthesis may lead to deficiency & injection of 40mg between weeks 1 & 16 of
life increased avg. weight gain by 8% (Girard et al., 2005). NRC (2001) recommends the incorporation
of pantothenic acid @ 13mg/kg of DM in Milk Replacer. In Calves, NRC (2001) recommends the
incorporation of 10mg of niacin per kg of DM in Milk Replacer. The NRC (2001) recommends
supplements of 0.07mg of Vitamin B12 per kg of DM in milk Replacer. for Vitamin C, NRC, 2001
suggests supplementation in only first 3 weeks of age in young calves but in adult animals’ oral
supplementation show no solid evidence which would permit practical recommendations (Weiss, 2007. There are no recommendations for dairy cattle (NRC, 2001; INRA, 1988), except for the need to supplement calves with 2mg per kg DM. Likewise for Calves, Mineral recommendations are as per
DM Intake.
For lactating & Pre calving animals, Requirements of Vitamins are different. For Adult Lactating
Cattle, recommendations are 110IU/d of vitamin A per kg Live weight (NRC, 2001). The NRC (2001)
decides on the same recommendations for dry Cows as for lactating cows (110 IU/kg live weight)
Several studies show that supplementation during the dry period reduces the incidence of mastitis in
the dry period & productive periods (Dahlquist & Chew, 1985; Chew & Johnson, 1985; LeBlanc et al.,
2004). This fact is endorsed by many field veterinarians also. Michal et al., (1994) also observed that
supplementing Peripartum rations with 120,000 IU/d of vitamin A led to an improvement in
polymorphonuclear neutrophil function & a 28% reduction in retained placentas. Supplementations
at levels 50% greater than current recommendations (NRC, 2001) may be advisable, given the
reduction in problems peripartum, as well as to maintain retinol concentrations in plasma & in the
Colostrum postpartum (Puvogel et al., 2005).
The Vitamin E recommendations of the NRC (2001) for lactating cows are 0.8IU/kg live weight,
approximately20 IU/Kg of DMI, or 500 IU/d. For Cows in dry period, the recommendations of the
NRC (2001) are 1.6 IU/kg live weight approximately 80IU/kg of DM, or 1000IU/d. This increase from
last recommendations is based on improvements in the response of the immune system which
translates into better mammary gland & reproductive health. Likewise for Niacin NRC (1988; 2001)
& INRA (1988) have not established recommendations but they recognize that supplementing
adultcows with 6 to 12 g/d from Prepartum to the peak of lactation has resulted in some positive
effects like increase in milk production often also raising fat & Protein Content.
In KVK, Vidya Bhawan, Badgaon, Udaipur Rajasthan, a study was carried out in 2018 with title
“Effect of challenge feed (Premixes) during pre-partum period and post calving feed during lactation
period on production and reproduction parameters and peri-parturient health in crossbred cows”. In
this study effect of Pre partum Premix, Post-partum Premix, Calf Premix was observed in Cross breed
Dairy Cattle. The volume of first three days colostrum is also measured and there is an increase of
58.73% over control group. The photographs also show that in the experiment group the yellowness
of the colostrum is visibly darker than the control group animals.
In Experiment group, there is an average increase in milk 4.64 lit per cow per day which is about 39.5%
higher than previous lactation of the same herd. The average increase of 1.99 lit. milk per day per cow
in control group was also observed which is about 15.4% higher than previous lactation of the same
herd. The increase in both the groups may be due to better management practices taken during this
period. If we compare both the groups which we formed in the beginning of the trial, there is an
increase of 133.1% milk from the control group which was due to the challenge feed and Pre calving
Feed with Pre partum Premix & post calving feed with Post partum Premix provided to the
experimental group. The fat and SNF content of both the group animals were recorded. In initial
lactation days Experimental group showed higher fat and SNF percentages than the control group but
it was not continued due to mechanical problem in Fat and SNF measuring machine.
Experimental study conducted in KVK, Vidya Bhawan, Badgaon, Udaipur Rajasthan 2016-2017 shown
ADG of 600gm/day in experimental lot when supplemented with Calf Premix @ 20gm/day Vs control
370gm per day. The average weight gain in experiment group was found higher in all observations
except at birth that was due to higher birth weight of one female calf in control group and lower birth
weight of one female calf in Experimental group. But at 90 days age there was an average increase of
38.5% than the control group. This will lead to better growth of female heifers and ultimately reduced
the puberty age of these animals. This would certainly reduce the cost of heifer rearing.
In field Trial at Nohar, Hanumangarh, Rajasthan, India, ADG of 944gm was reported in indigenous
calf by Dr Raman Chahar. 68 kg body weight increase was recorded in 72 days when stage wise
Premix was offered regularly.
In one more trial done at Nohar, Hanumangarh, Rajasthan, India, ADG of 833gm was reported in
indigenous Rathi heifer by Dr Raman Chahar. 25 kg body weight increase was recorded in 30 days
when stage wise Premix was offered regularly.
In one more trial done at Nohar, Hanumangarh, Rajasthan, India, ADG of 500gm was reported in
indigenous heifer by Dr Raman Chahar. 15 kg body weight increase was recorded in 30 days when
stage wise Premix was offered regularly.
In trial done at Jaipur, Rajasthan, India, by Dr Arvind Jetly. Sahiwal heifer was inseminated at the age
of 19 months & it calved at the age of 28 months showing significant progress in age at first calving
when supplemented with stage wise nutrition right from birth.
In another trial done at Jaipur, Rajasthan, India, by Dr Arvind Jetly. Gir heifers was inseminated at the
age of 18 & 20 months, confirmed pregnant & will calve in age of 27 & 29 months showing
significant progress in age at first calving when supplemented with stage wise nutrition right from
birth.
In Field trial at Borawar, Makrana, Nagore, Rajasthan, India, Dr Vishwas Suresh Deshpande, SVO (Raj
AH Dept.) reported body weight gain of 48 kg in 43 Days in Rathi cattle when supplemented stage
wise
He also Reported weight gain from 25 kg to 250 in first 12 month oflike in Buffalo when
supplemented with stage wise Calf & Heifer Premixes.
Same buffalo achieved Body weight of 330 kg in 17 months as per his testimonials showing ADG of 607
gm.
Dr Harshvardhan Gautam, SVO (Raj AH Dept.), Bada Padampura, Chaksu, Jaipur, Rajasthan, India
Reported First age of Calving in Buffalo at 25 Months after using Calf & Heifer Premixes.
In recent work done at field by Mr. Shubman Mann, Veterinary assistant at Chirwa, Jhunjhunu,
Rajasthan, he observed fantastic udder growth in cattle Just 10 day’s time when stage wise premix
was supplemented in Pre-Calving stage.
In another recent work done at field by Mr. Shubman Mann, Veterinary assistant at Chirwa,
Jhunjhunu, Rajasthan, he observed fantastic udder growth in cattle Just 15 day’s time when stage
wise premix was supplemented in Pre-Calving stage.
Looking into above recommendations & work in field, there is urgent need to initiate more research
& communicating the outcome of these field trials to all stake holders that specific micronutrient
containing premixes are required for different life stages like calves (0-3 months age), Heifer (4-12-
& 13-24-months age), Pre-Partum stage (21 days before calving till day of calving), post-Partum
stage (0-21 DIM) Initial (28-100 DIM, Mid (101-200 DIM) & late Lactation (201-300 DIM).
– By Dr. Chandr Shakhar (MVSc (AN-IVRI), PGPM (Marketing -LBSIM, New Delhi)
FANA (Fellow of Animal Nutrition Association of India)
Project Advisor (Ruminants, Pet & Equine)
(shekhar00000@rediffmail.com)
