Nutritional deficiency associated disorders and decreased productivity of farm animals is prevalent in many parts of India including the large area of Uttaranchal and at many occasions even during the flush wet season production performances of bovines remain much less than the inherent potential for the types of animals. The reasons for such disorders have been found to be various dietary essential minerals and it has been found to be mostly area specific. There appears to be no area specific mineral mixture in the market and common formulations are being used which might not be producing desired beneficial effects in many areas. In view of this situation an area specific mineral mixture was formulated and assessed. Prior art:- The area specificity of minerals deficiency particularly in the tropical countries has already been defined by McDowell et al., (1983) and Abdelrahman et at. (1998). Deficiency associated problems have already been observed in the cattle and buffaloes of different regions and in most cases it differs from one region to another region due to different soil composition, intensity of cropping, precipitation pattern and soil erosion pattern etc Therefore, there is ample scope of the utilization of area specific mineral mixture for balancing the deficiency essential for the exploitation of optimum production potential of farm animals which has a significant bearing on the economy of the farmers With this background in view of the prevalent mineral deficiencies observed in various parts of Uttaranchal, a complex mineral mixture was formulated. Such an effective mineral mixture at reasonable cost will have high demand in the region. 3 Detailed specification of the invention 3.1 Methodology /Technotogy In an extensive survey of Uttaranchal 3424 samples of soil, 3324 samples of fodders and serum samples of 2465 cattle and 2025 buffaloes were collected from the Tarai, Bhabar and Hilly regions, and mineral content of these samples was estimated and profile was prepared This profile was used for the formulation of a composite mineral mixture for balancing the dietary deficiency of bovines. The newly formulated mineral mixture contained higher level of P, Fe, Mg, Cu, Co, Zn and 1 beside adequate amount of Se, Vitamin A and E and also a probiotic i.e. Brewers yeast. This mineral mixture was tested for its efficacy on the performances of lactating cows and Buffaloes, growing calves and growing heifers of both species on as far as possible large number of Bovines. 3.2 Experimentation The following mineral supplementation studies were carried for 90 days at the farmers door 1 Effect on milk production of (a) Crossbred cows and (b) buffaloes 2. Effect on body weight gain of (a) Growing Cattle calves of 6 to 12 months of age (b) Growing buffalo calves of same age (b) Growing crossbred heifers of 12-24 months of age and (d) Growing buffalo heifer of similar age. Experiment 1. Effect on milk production la. In Crossbred Cows Total 105 crossbred lactating cows in their 3rd to 5th lactation were selected on the basis of blood mineral profile. These included 15 clinically healthy cows (group A) and 90 show ing various degree of mineral deficiency. The latter were randomly distributed into 3 groups of 30 each and assigned to group B,C, and D in which common mineral supplements of local market and new formulations 1 and 2 v.ere supplemented to provide 50 g mineral mixture per head daily for 90 days. Daily milk yield during the experimental period of group A, showed a little improvement probably due to special care during the trial. In group B, increase was marginal, but much higher increase in group D. The effect was conspicuous within 60 days of mineral supplementation in group D and it was to the extent of 37% of the initial against 13 and 2% only in groups C and B respectively. (Table -1, Fig. 1) Ib. In Buffaloes This experiment was conducted on 105 h.ctating buffaloes in same design followed for crossbred cattle. The changes in milk yield pattern was almost on the line of crossbred cows and percentage increase over initial milk yield due to new mineral supplement feeding in group D was 37.5% against 21% and 15% in group C and B respectively. (Table-2, Fig.2) Experiment 2. Effect on body weight gain 2a. In cross bred cattle Total 60 crossbred calves of 6-12 months of age and equal number of heifers of 12-24 months of age were used in 4 groups of 15 each including the 15 clinically healthy animals in group A. There was no change in the feed and feeding of group A, but those in Group B , C and D received mineral mixture of local market and newly formulated mineral mixture I and 2 respectively. Feeding trial lasted for 90 days and body weight gain was assessed every 15 days as per GBPUAT equations. The animals in group A maintained growth whereas those in group D showed maximum improvement. The increase in daily gain was 39% in group D against 33 and 21% in calves of group C and B respectively. (Table-3, Fig.3) The increase in growth rate of heifers of group D was 30% against 26% anu 21% in the heifers of group C and B, respectively. (Table-3, Fig-4) 2.b. In growing buffaloes: - The number of animals, criteria of grouping and design of experiment were similar to that followed for crossbred cattle. The highest increase in body weight gain of calves of group D was 43% against 35% and 17% in-group C and B respectively. (Table-4 Fig.5) Similarly increase in growth of buffalo heifers of group D was 36% against 30% and 18% only in group C and B respectively. (Table-4, Fig-6) 3. Alterations in haematobiochemical, mineral, vitamin and enzyme profile. Haematobiochemical profile including important minerals, Vitamin A and E, Hormones viz. T3 and T4 were recorded from the same animals on which data on milk yield was recorded. These parameters were recorded from the start of the experimentation and then at 30 days intervals for 90 days Hb and TEC were estimated immediately while for rest of the parameters serum was harvested. The results of the serum minerals are given in Table 5 while the rest of the Haematobiochemical profile is given in table 6. The animals of Group A showed the normal level of mineral status and the haematobiochemical profile. The animals of Group B showed a marginal improvement. On the other hand there was a significant change in the haematobiochemical profile and serum mineral status in Group C and D animals. In Group C animals the trends reached towards normalcy during the 90lh day of treatment, whereas in Group D animals it reached normalcy within 60th day of the therapy, thus showing the efficacy of the present formulation-2 The result of these experiments clearly showed the ability of newly formulated mineral mixture (Supplement 2) for balancing the ration of lactating and growing animals in respect of mineral content. 3.3. Economic assessment of mineral mixture supplementation 3.3 la. Effect of mineral supplementation on lactating crossbred cows: Initial difference in the milk yield of healthy cows of Group A and deficient cows of Group D was 3.245 Litre (L) equivalent to 43.261%. After feeding of the mineral supplement for 90 days milk yield was 7.58 L in Group A and 5.85 L in Group D. The difference in milk yield of cows from initial 3.245 L decreased to 1.73 L only, which in terms of percentage worked out to be 22.823% against the initial 43.261% i.e. an improvement of 20.428%. This increase of 1.73 L was due to feeding of proposed mineral mixture (o)50g/cow/day. The cost of mineral mixture is about Rs 16/K.g, ie mineral supplementation expenditure per cow per day was 80 paise and increase in milk yield was 1.73 L, of the value of I 73 X 14 =Rs 24.22. Hence the net profit works out to be Rs. 23.42/cow/day. Average lactation yield of a cross bred cow is about 2100 L in 305 days The value of this milk (