Published Paper Details:

India possesses the most substantial livestock population globally. To satisfy both current and anticipated demands of the expanding human demographic, it is imperative to adopt innovative strategies to fulfill the input requirements to produce livestock and their derived products. Although India ranks first in the world regarding milk production and bovine population, the average productivity still necessitates enhancement; this may be attributable to a suboptimal nutritional status resulting from inadequate availability of high-quality fodder and feed. Consequently, there has been a concerted effort to identify alternative sources of superior-quality unconventional feed and fodder to facilitate efficient livestock production. In the quest for substitutes to traditional concentrates and fodder/feed for various animal species, a remarkable plant known as azolla has emerged, which holds significant promise as a sustainable feed source for livestock. Given that azolla encompasses the majority of nutrients requisite for all categories of livestock, including poultry and fish, it can be administered to these animals without any detrimental effects. Numerous studies have indicated that the incorporation of azolla in the diets of dairy cows can enhance milk production by 15 to 20 percent.