No abstract

The aim of this study was to determine whether the addition of a homeopathic product to dairy cow feed would improve health and production efficiency, as well as composition and quality of milk. The product tested here was produced to stimulate immunity and indirectly to prevent the colonization of the mammary gland by bacteria, thereby decreasing somatic cell counts and bacteria in cow’s milk. Fifty dairy cows were used, divided into two groups: Control (n = 25) and Treated (n = 25). For 90 consecutive days, 50 grams of homeopathic product (treated group) was added to the concentrate; 50 g of the product vehicle (limestone) was added to the concentrate of the control cows. We performed composition and quality analysis on the milk (days 1, 15, 30, 45, 60, 75, and 90) as well as blood collection to carry out hematological and metabolism analyses (days 1, 30, 60, and 90). We found that fat content in the milk cows consuming the homeopathic agent was greater than that of the control group. Because of this increased fat content, there was a tendency towards higher total solids content in treated cows. A treatment effect was found in terms of total bacterial count (TBC); that is, there were lower TBCs in milk of treated animals than in control animals. There was a trend of a treatment effect versus day for somatic cell count (SCC); that is, there were lower SCC in animals that consumed the homeopathic on days 15 and 30 of the experiment. There was no difference between groups in terms of milk production; however, there was a negative correlation between milk production and TBC or SCC in the milk of cows that consumed homeopathic product. Animals in the treated group had lower total leukocyte and lymphocyte counts than did the control group, as well as a tendency toward lower neutrophil counts in these animals. Several bacteria were isolated from the cows' milk during the experimental period, with no treatment effect. In particular, we isolated Corynebacterium spp., Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus epidermidis and Staphylococcus hyicus in greater numbers of cows compared to other etiologic agents. Based on these results, we conclude that consumption of the homeopathic product by dairy cows had positive effects on milk quality.

This study compared the effects of unchopped and chopped hay on milk production and composition, feed digestibility, and physiology of Lacaune sheep. Eighteen ewes were stratified by parity (two or three), days of lactation (60 ± 3.7 days), and milk production (1.04 L/ewe/day), and were randomly assigned to 1 of 2 treatments: 1) Unchopped or 2) Chopped Tifton 85 hay. Corn silage and concentrate were also provided. Chopped hay ewes gave lower (P≤0.01) dry matter intake and greater (P=0.02) crude protein digestibility. No effects of treatment were detected (P≥0.38) for the digestibility of dry matter, or of neutral and acid detergent fibers. Chopped hay ewes had greater (P≤0.01) milk production (d 7 and d 12), lactation persistence, and feed efficiency. Ewes eating chopped hay had greater (P=0.03) protein concentration in their milk. However, there were no effects of treatment × day and treatments (P≥0.16) for concentrations of fat, lactose, minerals, deffated dry extract, or density. Ewes eating chopped hay presented lower (P<0.01) serum concentrations of urea and tended to have lower (P=0.10) serum concentrations of glucose only on d 12. However, there were no effects of treatment × day and treatments (P≥0.16) for serum concentrations of total protein, albumin, globulin, triglycerides, or cholesterol. These data suggest that chopped hay promotes lower dry matter intake and serum concentrations of glucose and urea, but improves milk production, lactation persistence, feed efficiency, and protein concentration.