Effects of Dairy Cow Diet Supplementation with Carrots, Red Beet and Fodder beet on Cow Blood Serum Carotene Concentration and Milk Production
Keywords:
beta-carotene, dairy cow, dry matter Intake, milk production, root vegetablesAbstract
Provision of fat-soluble antioxidants necessary for cow organism and milk synthesis depends on their concentration in the diet. Administration of the natural vs synthetic forms of carotene and other bioactive components has the potential of better bio-availability. The aim of this study wos to estimate the effect of cow diet supplementation with carrots, red beet and fodder beet on the total feed intake, the total carotene concentration in cow blood and milk production. A total of 12 cows of Holstein Friesian breed were divided into control (CG) and experimental group (EG). In the EG cow diet was supplemented with 8% (dry mater bases) of vegetable mix of carrots (20%), red beet (20%) and fodder beet (60%) in the indoor period (November-December 2017) for 5 weeks. The total weights of dry matter consumed per day were 20.7 and 19.8 kg respectively, for cows in EG and CG. The carotene concentration in the blood of cows before supplementation was under the recommended beta-carotene level of minimum 3.0 mg/l. During experimental period the increase in carotene concentration in blood of cows was much more in EG, showing the positive effect of carrots, red beet and fodder beet supplementation The mean daily milk yields were 32.9 kg and 31.4 kg for EG and CG, respectively, with a response of 0.4 kg milk for cows in EG. Milk producers can be suggested to add this vegetable to the diet of dairy cows in order to improve beta-carotene level in cow blood and to maintain a high milk production.
References
Milk Analyzers EKOMILK User's guide.
Gaines, W. L., The energy basis of measuring milk yield in dairy cows, Illinois Agric.Exp. Sta.Bull., 1928, 308, 401-438.
Donaldson, M., Development of a rapid, simple assay of plasma total carotenoids, BMC Res Notes, 2012, 5, 521.
Getachew, G., Robinson, P. H. De Peters, E. J. Taylor, S. J., Relationships between chemical composition, dry mather degradation and in vitro gas production of several ruminant feeds, Annual Feed Sci Technology, 2004, 111, 57-71.
McBurney, M. I., Van Soest, P. J. Chase, L. E., Cation excenge capacity and buffering capacity of neutral detergent fibres, J. Sci Food Agric., 1983, 34, 910-916.
Frye, T. M., Williams, S. N., Graham, T. W., Vitamin deficiences in cattle, Veterinary Clinics of North America, Food Animal Practice, 1991, 7, 217-275.
Jukola, E., Hekkarainen, J. Salorieni, N., Sankari, S., Blood selenium, vitamin E, vitamin A and β-carotene concentrations and udder health, fertility treatment and fertility, J.Dairy Sci, 1996, 79, 838-845.
Georges, C., Evaluation du statut plasmatique en beta-carotene de vaches laitiers francoises et relation au type de ration distribuee, Renc. Rech. Ruminants, 2009,16, 76.
Le Blanc, S. J., Herdt, T. H., Seymour, W. M., Duffield, T. F., Leslie, K. E., Peripartum serum vitamin E, retinol and β-caroten in dairy cattle and their associations with disease, J. Dairy Sci., 2004, 87, 609-619.
Antone, U., Zagorska, J., Sterna, V., Jemelganovs, A., Berzius, A., Ikauniece, D., Effects of dairy cow diet supplementation with carrots on milk composition, concentration of cow blood serum carotenes, and butter oil fat-soluble antioxidative substances, Agronomy Research, 2015, 13(4), 879-891.
Schreiner, M., Windisch, W., Supplementation of cow diet with rapeseed and carrots: influence on fat acid composition and carotene concentration of the butter fat. Journal food lipids, 2006, 13, 434-444.
Arechiga, C .F., Staples, C. R., McDowell, L. R., Hansen, P. J., Effects of timed insemination and supplemental β-caroten on reproduction and milk yield of dairy cows under heat stress, J.Dairy Sci., 1998, 81, 390-402.
Oldham, E. R., Eberhart, R. J., Muller, L. D., Effects of supplemental vit A and β-carotene during the dry period and early lactation on udder health, J. Dairy Sci., 1991, 74, 3775-3781.
