Effect of Garlic Powder on Methane Production, Rumen Fermentation and Milk Production of Buffaloes

Aims: Use of natural feed additives to improve the milk production of buffalos.
Place and Duration of Study: National Dairy Research Institute, Karnal, India between May 2011 and July 2012.
Methodology: Garlic Powder (GRP) at 2, 4, and 6% of DMI was incubated for 24h in diluted ruminal fluid with a 50:50 roughage: concentrate wheat straw based diet. GRP at 2 and 6% DMI have resulted in decrease of molar proportion of acetate and butyrate but it has not effected on in vitro true dry matter digestibility and propionate production.
Results: Methane emission was significantly (P<0.05) decreased in presence of GRP. Further, GRP (at the rate 2% of DMI) was evaluated under in vivo conditions in Ten lactating Murrah buffaloes divided into two groups i.e. Control and Treatment group , and it shown very promising results on methane reduction. Methane was reduced up to 31% in case of GRP, without affecting digestibility of nutrients and milk composition in comparison to control group.
Conclusion: Overall milk production was remained similar in all groups but just after supplementation of GRP, and up to 12 weeks of supplementation, it remained significantly higher in treatment group as compared to control group.