Diet supplementation with clinoptilolite improves energy status, reproductive efficiency and increases milk yield in dairy heifers

2013 ◽  
Vol 53 (3) ◽  
pp. 234 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maria A. Karatzia ◽  
Panagiotis D. Katsoulos ◽  
Harilaos Karatzias

The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of long-term dietary inclusion of clinoptilolite on the energy status, reproductive parameters and milk yield of dairy heifers. Eighty Holstein pregnant heifers were equally divided to two groups: treatment group heifers were fed the ration supplemented with 200 g clinoptilolite per day; control group heifers were fed the basal ration and served as controls. The experiment started on Day 210 of gestation and lasted until the end of the first lactation period. Blood samples were collected from each animal at the start of the experiment, 30 days later on the day of calving and then on a monthly basis and were analysed for serum glucose and ketone bodies. On the same days, all animals were monitored for body condition score. Cows were observed for heat every day and were inseminated at first heat after the 60th day postpartum. Calving to first heat interval, calving to first service interval, number of services per conception and calving interval were calculated for both groups. Milk yield for each cow was recorded monthly and 305-day milk yield was calculated. Clinoptilolite supplementation significantly increased body condition score and blood serum concentration of glucose and significantly decreased blood serum concentration of ketone bodies. Clinoptilolite also improved significantly the reproductive parameters evaluated and significantly increased milk production. These results indicate that daily dietary administration of 200 g of clinoptilolite can be used for the improvement of animal performance in dairy herds.

1985 ◽  
Vol 41 (2) ◽  
pp. 167-175 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. J. Ducker ◽  
Rosemary A. Haggett ◽  
W. J. Fisher ◽  
S. V. Morant

ABSTRACTData from a large controlled experiment to investigate the effect of level of nutrition on reproductive performance were used to assess the value of production and blood measures as indicators of energy status in lactating dairy heifers. Live-weight change showed the strongest and most consistent relationship to mean energy balance (the difference between metabolizable energy intake and that used for milk production and maintenance) (P < 0·01 to P < 0·001). Body-condition score at a particular time was more closely related to mean energy balance in the preceding 4-week period (P < 0·05) than current energy balance. There was also a lag in the relationship between energy balance and live-weight change and mean body-condition score. Ultrasonic back fat measurements were significantly correlated with both loin and tailhead body-condition score (P < 0·001) but were more strongly related to mean energy balance in the preceding period (P < 0·05 to P < 0·001) than the body-condition scores.Blood samples were taken from all heifers 2 weeks before calving and 1, 5, 9, 13 and 18 weeks after calving and were analysed for 13 constituents. Concentrations of blood metabolites did not show consistently strong correlations with mean energy balance. The only blood metabolite to be measurably affected by the nutritional treatments applied in lactation was β-hydroxybutyrate.At best, combinations of production measures and blood metabolites were only able to predict the mean daily energy balance with a 95% confidence interval of ±20 MJ for an individual animal although this confidence interval was reduced to ±3 MJ for 100 animals.


2016 ◽  
Vol 8 (2) ◽  
pp. 899-904
Author(s):  
P.M. Gamit ◽  
Rana Ranjeet Singh ◽  
Amit Kumar ◽  
V.B. Kharadi ◽  
N.B. Patel

The aim of the present investigation was to find out the relationship among postpartum interval to estrus, body condition score, milk yield and blood biochemical parameters of Surti buffaloes (Bubalus bubalis). The study was conducted on sixteen clinically healthy Surti buffaloes (parity 1-7) with normal parturition. These animals were divided into two groups on the basis of their postpartum interval to estrus (PPIE). Group 1 animals had PPIE ≤ 50 days whereas group 2 had PPIE > 50 days. Body condition score (BCS), milk yield and Blood samples were collected by jugular venipuncture on days starting from 6th day after calving thereafter at fortnight interval till 90th day postpartum. Blood serum parameters such as glucose, total protein, blood urea, creatinine, cholesterol, triglyceride, progesterone and estrogen were measured. Perusal of data revealed that animals having higher BCS on the day of estrus had significantly (P≤0.05) shorter PPIE. There was non-significant effect of daily and cumulative 100 days milk yield on PPIE. Serum concentration of glucose and creatinine was significantly (P≤0.05) higher for group 1 animals at most of the stages. There was non-significant difference between serum concentration of total protein, blood urea nitrogen and cholesterol between both the groups. Progesterone and Estradiol-17 β concentrations were significantly (P≤0.05) higher in group 1 animals than group 2 animals at different stages of this study.


Sensors ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (4) ◽  
pp. 1414
Author(s):  
Ramūnas Antanaitis ◽  
Vida Juozaitienė ◽  
Dovilė Malašauskienė ◽  
Mindaugas Televičius ◽  
Mingaudas Urbutis ◽  
...  

The aim of the current study was to evaluate the relation of automatically determined body condition score (BCS) and inline biomarkers such as β-hydroxybutyrate (BHB), milk yield (MY), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), and progesterone (mP4) with the pregnancy success of cows. The cows (n = 281) had 2.1 ± 0.1. lactations on average, were 151.6 ± 0.06 days postpartum, and were once tested with “Easy scan” ultrasound (IMV imaging, Scotland) at 30–35 d post-insemination. According to their reproductive status, cows were grouped into two groups: non-pregnant (n = 194 or 69.0% of cows) and pregnant (n = 87 or 31.0% of cows). Data concerning their BCS, mP4, MY, BHB, and LDH were collected each day from the day of insemination for 7 days. The BCS was collected with body condition score camera (DeLaval Inc., Tumba, Sweden); mP4, MY, BHB, and LDH were collected with the fully automated real-time analyzer Herd Navigator™ (Lattec I/S, Hillerød, Denmark) in combination with a DeLaval milking robot (DeLaval Inc., Tumba, Sweden). Of all the biomarkers, three differences between groups were significant. The body condition score (BCS) of the pregnant cows was higher (+0.49 score), the milk yield (MY) was lower (−4.36 kg), and milk progesterone in pregnant cows was (+6.11 ng/mL) higher compared to the group of non-pregnant cows (p < 0.001). The pregnancy status of the cows was associated with their BCS assessment (p < 0.001). We estimated that cows with BCS > 3.2 were 22 times more likely to have reproductive success than cows with BCS ≤ 3.2.


2003 ◽  
Vol 86 (6) ◽  
pp. 2193-2204 ◽  
Author(s):  
D.P. Berry ◽  
F. Buckley ◽  
P. Dillon ◽  
R.D. Evans ◽  
M. Rath ◽  
...  

2008 ◽  
Vol 53 (No. 9) ◽  
pp. 357-367 ◽  
Author(s):  
F. Jílek ◽  
P. Pytloun ◽  
M. Kubešová ◽  
M. Štípková ◽  
J. Bouška ◽  
...  

The objective of this study was to confirm the relationship among body condition score at the time around parturition, milk yield in subsequent lactation, reproductive efficiency and BCS development in Czech Fleckvieh dairy cows. The BCS and milk yield were measured once a month and the cows were divided into groups according to their BCS before and after calving. Next, data from the database of cattle reproduction of the Czech Fleckvieh herd book were used. The dataset was analyzed by multifactorial analysis of variance using procedures COOR and GLM of the statistical program SAS. Cows with lower BCS in the 1<sup>st</sup> month after calving showed an increase in both milk yield and fat and protein corrected milk (FPCM) yield. No significant relationship was found between the BCS level before calving and subsequent milk yield. The body condition level in the last month before parturition influenced its subsequent decrease in the first phase of lactation. The group of cows with the highest BCS level before calving retained a high BCS level in the first five months of lactation. Adequately, the group of cows with the lowest BCS in the first month of lactation had the lowest BCS in the next four months. BCS before calving was not related to reproduction indicators, but the significant effect of BCS in the 1<sup>st</sup> month after calving on the length of calving to the first service interval was confirmed. The group of cows with BCS > 3.5 in the 1<sup>st</sup> month after calving had the most favourable reproduction indicators, also when the milk yield level was taken into account.


Animals ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (4) ◽  
pp. 192 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sudeb Saha ◽  
Nicolò Amalfitano ◽  
Enrico Sturaro ◽  
Stefano Schiavon ◽  
Franco Tagliapietra ◽  
...  

Summer transhumance to alpine pastures (ALP) is widespread in dairy systems of alpine regions. This study aimed to investigate the effects of transhumance of Brown Swiss cows to ALP on the yield, composition, and coagulation properties of milk (MCP), and on cheese yield (CY). The study involved 12 multiparous cows kept at a mountain lowland permanent farm (PF), which were divided into two equal groups: One remained at the PF, the other was moved to the ALP (1860 m above sea level) from July to September. Every month (June to October), daily milk yield (MY) and body condition score (BCS) were recorded, and individual milk samples (n = 60, 2000 mL each) were collected to assess milk composition, MCP, and CY. Compared with PF, ALP cows had a reduced MY and BCS, which was maintained on return to the PF, greater fat and lower protein contents of milk. Neither MCP nor CY were affected by summer transhumance. In conclusion, summer transhumance did not affect the cheese making efficiency of milk but depressed MY and consequently daily cheese yield, which was nearly 2 kg/d lower for the ALP than the PF cows and was only partially recovered after returning to the PF in autumn.


2003 ◽  
Vol 27 ◽  
pp. 647-649 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. Formigoni ◽  
P. Pezzi ◽  
A. Gramenzi ◽  
G. Martino ◽  
E. Neri

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document