Short and long term effects of orally administration at drying off of lyophilized Aloe arborescens to dairy cows - RABOLA
Drying off is one of the most critical stages of the lactation cycle of dairy cows, because it divides the end of a lactation and the beginning of the next one. Usually, it is recommended a systematic treatment with a slow-release antibiotic in order to avoid problems with infections, but the new epidemiological situation makes a reduction in the use of antibiotics necessary.
| OFFICIAL ACRONYM: | RABOLA |
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| RESPONSABLE OF PROJECT: | Prof. Erminio Trevisi |
| RESPONSABLE OF PROCEDURES: | Dott. Fiorenzo Piccioli Cappelli |
| COLLABORATION: | Departments DISAA, DIMEVET, VESPA University of the Study of Milan and ISPA (CNR) |
| SPONSOR: | Regione Lombardia (www.regione.lombardia.it) |
| FURTHER INFORMATION: | ARTICLE "Drying‐off dairy cows without antibiotic therapy and orally supplemented with lyophilized Aloe arborescens: effects on rumen activity, immunometabolic profile, and milk yield" (click here) |
| DURATION: | 3 years (01/01/2019 --> 30/09/2022) |
Prof. Erminio Trevisi
President, Cerzoo Srl - Research Center for livestock and environment
Full Professor in Animal Science, Università Cattolica del S. Cuore, Piacenza and Cremona
Dott. Fiorenzo Piccioli Cappelli
Researcher, Università Cattolica del S. Cuore, Piacenza and Cremona
Background
Drying off is one of the most critical stages of the lactation cycle of dairy cows, because it divides the end of a lactation and the beginning of the next one. Usually, it is recommended a systematic treatment with a slow-release antibiotic in order to avoid problems with infections, but the new epidemiological situation makes a reduction in the use of antibiotics necessary. The European Regulation 2019/6 forbids the preventive use of antibiotics, and nutraceutical approach can be an alternative.
Aloe ssp. Plants have several compounds with nutraceutical and therapeutic effects, for example phenolic compounds: chromones, anthraquinones and anthrones; enzymes, phytosterols, salicylic acid. In the gelatinous portion of the plant many polysaccharides can be found, they have immunomodulatory, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antimicrobial, analgesic, cicatrizing, antiviral and antidiabetic properties.
Aim
The aim of the experiment is the evaluation of the administration of Aloe arborescens in the period before and after the drying off combined with the use of the sealant without an antibiotic treatment.
Investigation has been made on 42 dairy cows in the experimental farm of CERZOO srl, divided in three groups,
- CTRL with 7 bovines with SCC <200 n/µL and 7 with SCC >200 n/µL and positive bacteriological test treated with the antibiotic and the sealant,
- SIG with 14 bovines with SCC <200 n/µL and a negative bacteriological test dried only with the sealant,
- ALOSI with 14 bovines with SCC <200 n/µL and a negative bacteriological test dried with the sealant and with 10 g of lyophilized Aloe arborescens 7 days before and after the drying off.
Phase
Rying off - Transition period
Checks
- Chemical and nutritional composition of diets;
- Health and welfare status;
- Time of resting;
- BCS and rectal temperature;
- Daily rumination activity;
- Daily body weight;
- Colostrum yield and immunoglobulin content, calf body weight after birth;
- Milk yield, fat, lactose and protein content, electric conductivity (AFILAB system), coagulation attitude, urea, somatic cells (FTIR);
- Blood samples in order to evaluate hematocrit, glucose, NEFA, BHB, cholesterol, (total, LDL, HDL), triglycerides, urea, creatinine, albumin, globulin, total protein, GOT, GGT, paraoxonase, alkaline phosphatase, bilirubin, haptoglobin, ceruloplasmin, myeloperoxidase, Ca, Mg, P, Zn, reactive oxygen metabolites, Advanced oxidation protein products (AOPP), total antioxidant (FRAP), thiol groups (SHp).
Results
Administration of lyophilized aloe induced short and long term effects. During the drying off, it modified the ruminal AGV’s profile (acetic acid concentration increased) and reduced the postprandial peak of AGV, with a possible major use of fiber in a phase characterized by a change in the diet with an increasing fiber’s quantity. Aloe brought also to a better hepatic functionality during this period, as suggested by the rise of paraxonase’s concentration, a week after the drying off. Also NEFA and BHB concentrations have been modified, in particular their growth after the drying off has been more moderate and less prolonged.
This indicates that bovines administered with Aloe had a less severe catabolic condition, with a lower use of body reserves. For what concerns long-term effects that can be seen during the lactation, a better hepatic functionality in animals treated with Aloe can be highlighted, as confirmed by bilirubin concentration after calving lower than control thesis. Bovines that received Aloe showed also a less severe catabolic state at the beginning of the lactation, as showed by the lower levels of NEFA and BHB and the higher levels of glucose, despite this situation, these bovines had the highest milk yield.
Concerning indicators of innate immunity, treated cows showed a reduced inflammatory response after calving (reduced concentrations of positive acute-phase proteins, haptoglobin and ceruloplasmin). The higher production of reactive oxygen metabolites (ROMt) after calving in the Aloe group needs further investigation, however there was an appropriate antioxidants production.
The whole immunometabolic context post partum improved in bovines fed with a diet which included Aloe before and after the drying off, and it supported the major milk yield that was constant in the milk composition and in the somatic cells content.
Altre informazioni
| Publications or links to publications | Cattaneo, L., F. Piccioli‐Cappelli, A. Minuti, and E. Trevisi. 2022. Drying‐off dairy cows without antibiotic therapy and orally supplemented with lyophilized Aloe arborescens: effects on rumen activity, immunometabolic profile, and milk yield. J. Anim. Physiol. Anim. Nutr. doi:10.1111/jpn.13777. |
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