The Business Bytes
PRIYABRAT BISWAL
BHUBANESWAR, JULY 21, 2023
With the objective of giving a boost to milk production in the country , scientists at the ICAR-Indian Veterinary Research Institute (IVRI) at Izatnagar in Bareilly have developed a first-of-its-kind cattle feed enriched with phyto-nutrient ingredients that helps in improving milk yield, procreation and immunity in milch animals like cows and buffaloes. The manufacturing technology of the cattle feed was transferred to AIMIL Pharmaceuticals in the presence of Union Animal Husbandry and Fisheries Minister Parshottam Rupala, at an event recently.
“Though an array of cattle feeds is available in the retail market, the IVRI-developed nutritious product is enriched with phyto-nutrients which are derived from the time-tested medicinal plants that fulfil the need of nutritious diet for the animals. The newly developed cattle feed also improves the reproductive health among milch animals which result in healthier offsprings,” the scientists said.
“It contains requisite minerals and proteins. It’s for the first time that specific plants that enhance the body’s immunity and protect them against infections have also been added to it,” they said, adding that the product would soon be available in the retail market as the technology has been transferred to AIMIL Pharmaceuticals.
Extensive trials have been conducted on this feed on milch animals at many IVRI sites. The result has been encouraging as it has been found that it not only prevents many infectious diseases but also takes care of stress occurring in animals during summer and rainy season. The IVRI scientists claimed that this diet would be an economically viable option too for the farmers.
The IVRI-developed cattle feed would be marketed by AIMIL’s animal healthcare division which is already offering a string of animal products for the health of poultry, pets and animals in the market.
AIMIL Pharmaceuticals Director Dr. Ikshit Sharma said that this feed would be prepared in the granular form which can be mixed with fodder for the animals. “The aim is to help bolster the income of animal-rearing farmers as they will get lucrative returns on high yield and better quality milk. Being an immunity booster, it will also save on the expenditure on animal diseases,” he asserted.
The herbal drug manufacturer AIMIL Pharma has already made its niche in the ayurvedic medicines such as diabetes drug BGR-34, which is developed by CSIR and Lukoskin — drug developed by DRDO for Vitiligo treatment.
