Effect of increasing doses of a microencapsulated blend of essential oils on performance of lactating primiparous dairy cows

• Published in: Animal feed science and technology Vol. 153; no. 1; pp. 153 - 157
• Main Authors: Spanghero, M., Robinson, P.H., Zanfi, C., Fabbro, E.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Amsterdam Elsevier B.V 26-08-2009; [New York, NY]: Elsevier Science; Elsevier
• Subjects: animal performance; Animal productions; Biological and medical sciences; dairy cows; digestibility; dosage; dose response; energy content; Essential oils; feed additives; Feed and pet food industries; feed intake; feed processing; feed quality; Food industries; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; lactation; microencapsulation; milk composition; milk quality; Milk yield; mixtures; nutritive value; parity (reproduction); protein content; Rumen fermentation; Terrestrial animal productions; Vertebrates; NDF; Essential oils; Rumen fermentation; DM; EO; CP; lignin(sa); Milk yield; Farming animal; Lactation; Digestive system; Dairy cattle; Rumen; Fermentation; Milk production; Vertebrata; Mammalia; Essential oil; Artiodactyla; Performance; Dose; Ungulata
• ISSN: 0377-8401; 1873-2216
• DOI: 10.1016/j.anifeedsci.2009.06.004

This study determined impacts of a commercial blend of microencapsulated essential oils (EO), fed at increasing dose levels to high yielding primiparous dairy cows, on milk yield and composition. Eight pregnant Holstein heifers, selected to have their parturition within a period of 30
d, were kept in tie stalls equipped for individual feeding, and with free access to water, from the 7th month of gestation. At an average of 40
d postpartum, cows were assigned to one of four dietary EO levels in a replicated 4
×
4 Latin square design. The experimental diets (i.e., corn silage, fescue hay and a compound feed, 6.5, 4.4 and 8.7
kg DM/d respectively) differed only in the addition level of a microencapsulated EO supplement (RumaXol Feed) mixed at different levels into the compound feed (fed at 1
kg/cow day) in order to provide 0, 0.32, 0.64 and 0.96
g/d of the EO mixture. The experiment had four experimental periods of 21
d, with the last 5
d used for collection of faeces and urine, for milk yield and composition recording and measurement of cow biometric data. The dietary EO supplementation had no effect on dry matter (DM) intake, water consumptions or faecal DM, while urine density was (
P=0.01) lower at the intermediate EO dosages. Digestibility and biometric measures of cows were not modified by EO feeding. The protein content of milk tended (
P=0.06) to be higher at the intermediate EO dosages, as did (
P=0.05) the milk energy concentration. However milk and milk component yields were not affected by EO feeding level.