A multicomponent herbal feed additive improves somatic cell counts in dairy cows ‐ a two stage, multicentre, placebo‐controlled long‐term on‐farm trial

• DOI: 10.1111/jpn.13297
• Publication Date: 2020-02-05T08:50:59Z
• Authors: Michael Walkenhorst; Florian Leiber; Ariane Maeschli; Alexandra N. Kapp; Anet Spengler‐Neff; Maria Teresa Fale...; Eliane Garo; Matthias Hamburger; Olivier Potterat; Philipp Mayer; Sandra Graf‐Schiller; Anna Bieber
• Keywords: Somatic Cell Count

In contrast to natural and historical diets of wild domesticated ruminants, the diversity plant species is limited in modern dairy cows. Are "production diseases" linked this? We conducted a trial test effects multicomponent herbal feed additive (HFA) on health, performance fertility traits. A dose-finding study (DF) with 62 cows 11 commercial farms compared low (50 g) high (100 dose HFA (HFA-50, HFA-100) placebo (PL). subsequent field (FT) 280 30 farms, HFA-100 was PL. Cows were randomly assigned PL groups received or individually daily from 14 days pre- 300 post-calving. Data analysed mixed models. No differences between found regarding performance, body condition score overall culling rates. tendency towards lower milk urea for (p = .06) DF. significantly reduced elevated acetone observations (≥10 mg/L) first 10 lactation weeks (HFA-100: 4%; HFA-50: PL: 12%) HFA-50 lameness incidence 11%; 2%; 14%) Calving intervals 15 shorter both trials, which could be confirmed by .07) FT. proportion somatic cell (≥3.0) (DF: HFA-100: 40%, 45% 55%; FT: 38% 55%) also reflected .08) rates due udder diseases showed no negative impact any measured parameters. The indicate potential phytochemically rich diverse additives cows' nutrition physiology.