Effect of energy-vitamin-mineral supplement with protected palm fat on productivity of dairy cows
The feeding strategy and management of cows during the transition period have a key role in health, productivity, and profitability [1, 5]. A successful transition from late pregnancy is highly linked to delivering a healthy calf with a minimum occurrence of metabolic disorders and infectious diseases in early lactation [2]. Fatty acid (FA) supplements are commonly fed to lactating dairy cows with the goal of increasing energy intake, fertility, or milk and component yields. Feeding saturated FA supplements has little risk of disrupting the rumen function, is typically easy to handle on-farm, has less risk of reducing DMI (dry matter intake) compared with unsaturated FA [3], and increases milk and milk fat and protein yield [4]. This study aimed to analyse the influence of energy-vitamin-mineral supplements with protected palm fat on productivity, composition and quality of milking cows and health. The trial was carried out with 40 Lithuanian black and white cows (2–5 lactation) were selected by analogy principle for the research. They were divided into two groups (control and experimental), and each group consisted of 20 cows. Cows from the control group were fed a common diet, structured from grass haylage, corn silage, wheat and barley flour, rape and soy and minerals. The cows in the experimental group were fed a similar diet, but an energy-vitamin-mineral supplement replaced their diet with protected palm fat. The amount of milk was estimated at control milkings during the research period. In milk samples, amount of proteins, fat, lactose, the concentration of urea, and somatic cell count were analysed. Besides that, blood samples were taken and analysed during research, showing the concentrations of creatinine, glucose, common proteins, alkaline phosphatase alanine transaminase, calcium, magnesium, and phosphorus. During the experimental period, from cows with a ration of energy-vitamin-mineral supplement with protected palm fat, the basic milk is primed for a total of 9.02% more compared with the cows in the control group (P > 0.05). It was determined that after experiment, milk fat content increased 0.49% compared with the control group (P>0.05). Increased milk fat content in the experimental cows supplemented with energy-vitamin-mineral supplemented with protected palm fat. The volume of lactose and urea in the test group was not significantly different in the trial period compared with the control group. The concentration of urea in cows’ milk remained within the physiological norm during the trial period (P > 0.05).