Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: https://hdl.handle.net/1889/4581
Title: Somministrazione di un supplemento minerale-vitaminico in stile caffetteria alle bovine da latte in transizione: impatto sul benessere sul breve periodo e sulle performance
Other Titles: Feeding a free choice cafeteria-style mineral vitamin supplement to transition cows: impact on short term health and performances
Authors: Mochen, Lorenzo
Issue Date: 14-Oct-2021
Publisher: Università di Parma, Dipartimento di Scienze Medico Veterinarie
Document Type: Master thesis
Abstract: The transition period is a critical phase during the lactating cows’ life. In fact, it is characterized by many factors like for example decreased intake, negative energy balance, lipomobilization and increased calcium requirements, which may concur to the incidence of several diseases like ketosis, mastitis, hypocalcaemia, retained placenta and fatty liver. The supplementation with sugar–mineral-vitamin products during the dry and transition period may help in satisfying all the requirements of the cows. The aims of the present work were to evaluate the use of a free choice energetic mineral-vitamin supplement as a tool for the nutritional management of dry and transition cows and to study its effect on short term health and early lactation performances. A randomized complete block design was performed on 27 Italian Holstein cows divided into 3 groups subjected to 3 supplementation protocols: Control (CON), fed complete total mixed rations (TMR) specific for dry and lactating cows, covering the 75% of the mineral-vitamin requirements; the remaining 25% were administered as a top dressing to the control animals. The cows of the treated groups received respectively: Trockensteher® during the dry period, and Vitalyx® during lactating period, available ad libitum in the paddock (TV group); Trockensteher LIN/MOS® during the dry period, and Vitalyx® during lactating period, available ad libitum in the paddock (LV group). Groups intake, health status, metabolic parameters, time spent feeding in the manger and time spent ruminating, as well as the productive performances were evaluated from drying off to 20 days in milk (DIM). The TMR was a hay-based diet with prevalence of grass hay in the dry diet, and prevalence of alfalfa hay in the lactating diet. The TV group consumed less product during the dry period compared to the LV group, demonstrating also the lowest TMR intake in the dry period while an opposite trend was observed during the lactating period, in association also with a lower fecal score at 20 DIM. Both the tested protocols tendentially induced a higher time spent ruminating per kg of milk. Starting from a similar body condition score (BCS) at -60 DIM, the CON group showed a higher BCS at calving, with an increased post-partum lipomobilization with a raised probability of the occurrence of metabolic diseases. In fact, BHBA and NEFA plasma content at -7 DIM were higher in this group and plasmatic urea was decreased at 6 DIM. Both transition supplementation protocols resulted in a lowered milk production during the first 2 weeks of lactation but reached a similar milk yield in comparison to the CON group at 20 DIM. The ad libitum supplementation with a mineral-vitamin blocks has proved to be a good alternative to help the metabolism of lactating cows during the critical transition period.
Appears in Collections:Scienze medico-veterinarie

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