Evaluation of efficacy of calrakshak® as disinfectant in dairy sheds

Abstract

Subclinical mastitis (SCM) remains a major constraint in Indian dairying due to environmental exposure in poorly sanitized housing. This study evaluated the efficacy of a lime-based disinfectant, Calrakshak®, applied in dairy sheds on bacterial contamination, udder health, and milk yield. In vitro assays showed strong inhibition of Staphylococcus spp. and E. coli at the working dose. In a controlled field trial involving 20 cows with prior history of subclinical mastitis, daily application of 150 g Calrakshak® for two months reduced environmental bacterial load by about 80.91%, lowered California Mastitis Test (CMT) positivity from 30% to 12%, and decreased mean somatic cell count from 281,000 to 134,000 cells/ml (52.31% reduction), while milk yield increased by 0.55 kg/day over the study period compared with baseline. Control sheds showed no comparable improvement. The findings indicate that routine use of Calrakshak® offers an economical, safe, and effective hygiene intervention for reducing subclinical mastitis risk and improving productivity in Indian dairy systems.