Prophylactic feeding of medicinal herbs for sustainable health improvement during the rearing of calves at a dairy farm

Respiratory diseases and diarrhoea are the main causes for rearing losses in dairy calves. However, the application of antibiotics, which is the most widespread method to combat these problems, is nowadays in the focus of public concern. To ensure animal health and reduce the use of antibiotics, alternative prophylactic treatments are needed. The present study evaluates the effect of a prophylactic application of medicinal herbs on the health status of rearing calves under field conditions.

The study was conducted at a bio-dynamic dairy farm with 65 Brown Swiss dairy cows and calf rearing. During the 17 month period prior to our study, 33 calves (51%) needed antibiotic (Cefquinom, Tildipirosin) and anti-inflammatory (NSAID) treatments due to severe respiratory diseases and diarrhoea.

In order to decrease the rate of diseases and reduce antibiotics, prophylactic application of an herbal feed supplement (PlantaPulmin S Konzentrat, PPSK; SaluVet GmbH, Germany) was carried out between June 2014 and April 2016. The treatment consisted a 250 – 500 ml infusion of 5 g of PPSK, which contains thyme, liquorice, gentian and wormwood. The infusion was administered orally to 54 calves for 40 days, starting at the third day of life. The health status of all calves was monitored until they were 4 months of age.

During the 23 month period of PPSK supplementation, only 12 calves suffered from diarrhoea. Eleven were cured by dietetic electrolytes, their body weight development was not impaired (ø 890 g/d). Antibiotic and NSAID treatments were unnecessary. Respiratory diseases occurred in only 3 of the 54 calves during the first 6 months of supplementation. This did not require the use of antibiotics.

These results clearly demonstrate that a prophylactic application of PPSK improved the health status of the calves and might have the potential to reduce the necessity of antibiotic treatments in these cases.