Effect of chelated mineral mixture supplementation on productive and reproductive performance of crossbred cows

Introduction

India has a large livestock population, and dairy production is an important component of the rural economy. Dairy farming contributes substantially to agricultural livelihoods and provides an important source of income and food security for rural households (BAHS, 2021; Economic Survey, 2020-21) [1,2] . Minerals are essential nutrients involved in a wide range of physiological and metabolic processes in dairy cattle. Adequate supplies of macro minerals and microminerals are required for maintenance, productive performance, reproductive function and overall animal health. The mineral content of soil, water and forage varies among geographical regions; consequently, dietary mineral supplementation may be necessary where basal diets do not provide sufficient quantities of essential minerals. Mineral supplementation has been associated with improved milk production and reproductive performance in dairy cattle (Islam et al., 2023; Sahoo et al., 2017; Muwel et al., 2020; Deka et al., 2024) [3,4,5,6] . Organic or chelated forms of minerals have also been investigated because binding minerals to organic compounds may influence their bioavailability. Previous studies have reported variable effects on milk production and milk composition, indicating the need for field-based evaluation under different production environments (Rabiee et al., 2010; Singh et al., 2016) [7,8] . The present investigation was conducted as part of the Front-Line Demonstration programme of Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Champawat, to evaluate the effect of chelated mineral mixture supplementation on productive and reproductive performance and the economic outcome of crossbred cows under field conditions. The specific objective was to assess the effects of supplementation at 50 g/cow/day on daily milk yield, peak milk yield, onset of first postpartum oestrus, total lactation milk yield and benefit-cost ratio.

Materials and methods

Study population and management

A total of 50 crossbred cows aged 4-6 years were selected from different villages of Champawat district, Uttarakhand, under the Front-Line Demonstration programme of Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Champawat. The animals were maintained under a semi-intensive management system. Before commencement of the trial, all animals were dewormed with albendazole at 10 mg/kg body weight, 15 days before the start of the study. The animals were divided into two groups of 25 cows each. The control group (C 1 -C 25 ) was managed according to farmers' existing practices without additional mineral supplementation. The treatment group (T 1 -T 25 ) received chelated mineral mixture at 50 g/cow/day for 90 days. The composition of the mineral mixture is presented in Table 1.

Measurements and observations

Daily milk yield was recorded for 90 days. The study includes recording average daily milk yield, peak milk yield, onset of first postpartum oestrus and total lactation milk yield. Economic performance was assessed using the benefit-cost ratio by estimating gross income divided by cost incurred.

Statistical analysis

Data were analysed using Welch's independent-samples t-test. Results are presented as mean ± standard error (SE). Mean differences were calculated as treatment minus control. All tests were two-sided, and P < 0.05 was considered statistically significant.

Results and discussion

The effects of chelated mineral mixture supplementation on daily milk yield, peak milk yield, onset of first postpartum oestrus and total lactation milk yield are presented in Table 2.

Daily milk yield

The mean daily milk yield was 5.628 ± 0.107 L in the treatment group and 4.069 ± 0.100 L in the control group. Thus, the supplemented group produced 1.559 L/day more milk than the control group, corresponding to a 38.32% higher mean daily yield. The difference was statistically significant (P < 0.001). The present finding is consistent with earlier reports of increased milk production following mineral supplementation in dairy cattle (Sahoo et [3,5,6] . Minerals such as calcium and phosphorus are important components of milk and are involved in physiological processes associated with milk secretion.

Peak milk yield

Mean peak milk yield was 5.830 ± 0.085 L in the treatment group compared with 4.740 ± 0.121 L in the control group. The mean difference was 1.090 L and was statistically significant (P < 0.001). The higher peak yield observed in supplemented cows is consistent with previous reports describing improved productive performance following mineral supplementation.

Onset of first postpartum oestrus

The mean interval from calving to first postpartum oestrus was 76.240 ± 2.311 days in the treatment group and 93.880 ± 4.179 days in the control group. The treatment group therefore showed an earlier onset of postpartum oestrus by 17.640 days, with a statistically significant difference (P < 0.001). Similar effects of mineral supplementation on reproductive traits in crossbred cattle have been reported by Gupta et al. (2017) [9] , Sivara et al. (2019) [10] , Singh et al. (2020) [11] , Lalhruaipuii et al. (2023) [12] and Deka et al. (2024) [3] . The earlier onset of postpartum oestrus may indicate improved reproductive efficiency; however, inter-calving interval was not directly measured in the present study.

Total lactation milk yield

Total lactation milk yield was 1716.540 ± 32.732 L in the treatment group and 1240.984 ± 30.556 L in the control group, giving a mean difference of 475.556 L (P < 0.001). The higher lactation yield observed in supplemented cows is in agreement with findings reported by Singh et al. (2023) [13] and Deka et al. (2024) [3] . Values are presented as mean ± standard error (SE). Mean difference = treatment -control. P-values were obtained using Welch's independent-samples t-test (two-sided). P < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Abbreviations: SE, standard error; n, number of cows.

Economic performance

The benefit-cost ratio was 2.80 in the treatment group compared with 2.30 in the control group. Previous studies have also reported favourable economic outcomes following mineral supplementation. Deka et al. (2024) [3] reported benefit-cost ratios of 2.32 and 1.71 in treatment and control groups, respectively, while Islam et al. (2023) [4] reported ratios of 2.01 and 1.87. Sivara and Bhuvaneswari (2019) [10] reported benefit-cost ratios of 2.76 and 3.36 in control and treat-ment groups, respectively. The present results indicate that mineral supplementation may provide an economically favourable intervention under the field conditions evaluated in this study.

Conclusion

Under the field conditions of Champawat district, supplementation with chelated mineral mixture at 50 g/cow/day for 90 days was associated with higher daily milk yield, higher peak milk yield, earlier onset of first postpartum oestrus and higher total lactation milk yield in crossbred cows compared with cows managed according to farmers' existing practices. The treatment group also showed a higher benefitcost ratio. These findings indicate the potential value of chelated mineral mixture supplementation as a field-level nutritional intervention for improving productive and reproductive performance of crossbred dairy cows. Further studies with larger sample sizes, detailed dietary characterization and standardized economic calculations are warranted to confirm these effects across different production systems.

References

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15. How to cite this article: Pant S. Effect of chelated mineral mixture supplementation on productive and reproductive performance of crossbred cows. International Journal of Agriculture Extension and Social Development. 2026;SP-9(9):108-110. doi: https://www.doi.org/10.33545/26180723.2026.v9.i9Sb.4314