  Calcium deficiency in high yielding bovines during calving causes milk fever
which leads to economic losses of around INR 1000 crores (USD 137 million) per
annum in Haryana, India. With increasing milk production, the risk of milk
fever is continuously rising. In the context, we aim to address the most
fundamental research question: What is the effect of a preventive health
product (anionic mineral mixture (AMM)) on milk fever incidence, milk
productivity and farmers income? In an effort to contribute to the scanty
economic literature on effect of preventive measures on nutritional deficiency
disorders in dairy animals, specifically, on AMM effects in India, this study
uses a randomized controlled design to estimate internally valid estimates.
Using data from 200 dairy farms, results indicate that milk fever incidence
decreases from 21 per cent at baseline to 2 per cent in treated animals at
follow-up. Further, AMM leads to a 12 per cent and 38 per cent increase in milk
yield and farmers net income, respectively. Profits earned due to the
prevention of milk fever [INR 16000 (USD 218.7)] overweighs the losses from
milk fever [INR 4000 (USD 54.7)]; thus, prevention using AMM is better than
cure.
