Effect of feeding chandrasoor (Lepidium sativum L.) seed on major milk constituents in Indian cows

Abstract:

Chandrasoor (Lepidium sativum L.), a traditional galactogogue belonging to the family Brassicaceae (Cruciferae), has long been used in Ayurvedic and Unani systems of medicine for enhancing milk production in lactating animals. The present study evaluated the effect of dietary supplementation of chandrasoor seed at five graded levels — 100, 150, 200, 250 and 300 g/day — on major milk constituents in Indian crossbred cows under a three-phase split-plot experimental design. Twelve lactating cows were divided into six treatment groups (T₁-T₆), with T₁ serving as the unsupplemented control. The experiment comprised three successive phases: Phase I (control period, 7 days), Phase II (treatment period, 7 days) and Phase III (residual/withdrawal period, 45 days). Milk samples were analysed daily for pH, titratable acidity (% lactic acid), lactose, protein, fat and total solids content. Results demonstrated that supplementation of chandrasoor seed exerted statistically significant (P<0.05) positive effects on milk yield, lactose, protein, fat and total solids content across all treatment phases. The T₅ dose (250 g/day) consistently emerged as the most effective, producing milk significant improvements in all major milk constituents compared to the control. pH exhibited a marginal, dose-dependent decline while acidity showed a slight but significant increase. The observed improvements were attributed to the galactogogue alkaloid lepidine, glucosinolates, sinapin and other bioactive compounds present in chandrasoor seeds that enhance nutrient digestibility, rumen activity, liver metabolism and mammary gland function. The study concluded that 250 g/day of chandrasoor seed supplementation is the optimal dose for improving productive performance of lactating Indian cows and may be recommended as a cost-effective, natural feed supplement to dairy farmers and cattle-feed manufacturers, particularly during the summer season.