A herbal feed additive shows potential to improve metabolic situation in early lactating dairy cows

The gap between performance and feed intake in early lactating dairy cows often leads to metabolic imbalance which is connected to udder inflammation (UI).

A study with 72 dairy cows calving from November 2010 to March 2011 on 10 Swiss and German farms was conducted to test the effect of a herbal feed additive (HFA) containing mainly Urtica dioica L. (herba), Silybum marianum (L.) Gaert. (fructus), Artemisia absinthium L. (herba) and Achillea millefolium L. (herba).

Cows were stratified (farm and milk yield) randomised divided into three groups. From 14 days prior predicted calving to the end of the following lactation cows received daily 100 g pellets containing A: 100% HFA, B: 50% HFA and 50% alfalfa and C: 100% alfalfa (placebo). Two or three cows per group were included per farm. Farmers documented the pellet intake individually per cow on a daily base. Cows with an intake less than two third of the offered dose per lactation part (early: day 1 – 100; mid: day 101 – 200; late: day 201 – 300) were excluded from analyse (A: 6 cows, B: 4 cows, C: 0 cows).

Tab. 1: Health and performance parameters of dairy cows getting two different amounts of a herbal feed additive [A: 100 g per cow and day; B: 50 g per cow and day] and placebo [C] respectively

	Feeding groups			significance
	A	B	C
Milk aceton more than 3 times higher than 10 mg/dl in weekly milk samples during the first 10 weeks of lactation (% of cows)	0	20	30	p = 0.047
Average of the first 3 monthly milk recordings of the lactation
daily milk yield (kg)	34.5 (± 12)	35.0 (± 11)	34.6 (± 12)	n.s.
milk fat (%)	3.9 (± 0.5)	3.9 (± 0.6)	3.9 (± 0.4)	n.s.
milk protein (%)	3.2 (± 0.06)	3.2 (± 0.06)	3.1 (± 0.05)	n.s.
milk urea mg/dl	22 (± 8)	22 (± 9)	22 (± 9)	n.s.
Somatic cell score
1. milk recording of lactation	2.0 (± 1.4)	2.5 (± 2.3)	2.5 (+ 1.8)	n.s.
2. milk recording of lactation	1.4 (± 1.9)	2.2 (± 2.2)	3.1 (± 1.8)	p = 0.036
3. milk recording of lactation	1.8 (± 2.0)	2.3 (± 1.5)	2.7 (± 2.2)	n.s.
BCS lost > 0.5 during early lactation (% of cows)	38	40	48	n.s.
BCS lost: Lost of body condition score (BCS) compared to the BCS of the dry period

Weekly milk samples from a healthy udder quarter were taken in lactation week 1 – 10 to analyse the aceton content indicating metabolic imbalance. Milk recording data (milk yield, milk contents and somatic cell score as UI marker) as well as the development of the body condition score, treatment, intercalving period and culling rate were analysed.

Table 1 shows the results of early lactation, no further significant differences were found in mid and late lactation. Compared to placebo the feed additive A shows potential to improve metabolic situation in early lactation which is probably connected with a lower somatic cell score. The effects might be caused by appetising (Artemisia absinthium L. and Achillea millefolium L.) as well as liver protection (Silybum marianum (L.) Gaert.). Beside this Urtica dioica L. is documented from ethnoveterinary research to be used for restorative aspects. (contact the author for references)