Chlorella vulgaris Supplementation as Mineral Source of Zinc and Selenium to Improve the Quality of Goat Milk as Health Drink in COVID-19 Pandemy

Abstract

Microalgae Chlorella vulgaris contains micronutrients such as mineral zinc and selenium having role to produce antibody and improve body immunity. However, the impact of Chlorella vulgaris supplementation to goat milks’s chemical compositions has not being well documented. This research’s objective is to identify Chlorella vulgaris suppmentation as zinc and selenium source to improve goat milk’s quality as health drink in COVID-19 pandemy. Fifteen Etawah cross breed or Peranakan Etawa (PE) goats groupped into 5 treatments dan 3 repetitions. The goats were fed with grass, tofu waste and tempe waste. Chlorella supplement is fed to treated goat feed every day with level 0g (P0 = control), 2, 5g (P1), 5g (P2), 7, 5g (P3), and 10g (P4). The research’s result shows that zinc content in goat milk increase 2, 12 ppm or 24, 67%, while selenium increase 0, 08 mcg or 5, 5% after getting supplementation of Chlorella 10g/goat/day (P4). The provision of Chlorella also increase as solids total, protein and milk fat. Milk production increased by 28, 36% with Chlorella vulgaris supplements (P4). Based on the results of this study it can be stated that Chlorella vulgaris supplementation in goat PE feed can be used as a source of natural zinc and selenium minerals to improve the quality of goat milk as a health drink to increase body immunity, especially during the Covid-19 pandemic.