Efficacy Study of Liv.52 Vet Bolus in Improving General Health of Dairy Cows

Transcription

1 Efficacy Study of Liv.52 Vet Bolus in Improving General Health of Dairy Cows Asha H.G., Veterinary Officer, Veterinary Dispensary, Kalkeri, Bangalore Bhagwat V.G., Research Scientist, The Himalaya Drug Company, Bangalore Siddaramanna., Kasturi Nagar, Bangalore Dairy Planner (2010): 6 (6), May, INTRODUCTION The dairy cow is one of the most complex farm animals because she can be growing, lactating and pregnant, all at one time. In addition, she also requires energy and protein for maintenance. Therefore, the utilization of dietary energy and protein depends upon the interaction amongst various physiological demands, which can vary from time to time. Feed intake governs the amount of each nutrient a cow receives and the amount of milk she can potentially produce. The more feed an early lactation cow consumes, the more nutrients she receives, and thus, more nutrients are available for milk production. Feeding proper diet to dairy cattle is essential for raising healthy, high-producing dairy cattle. Healthy cattle are more efficient cattle and, in the long run, return greater profits to dairy industry. Keeping the above facts in view, Liv.52 Vet Bolus field trial was conducted to assess the efficacy in improving general health of dairy cows, in turn to produce more milk. Liv.52 Vet Bolus of The Himalaya Drug Company Bangalore, India, contains Himsra (Capparis spinosa), Arjuna (Terminalia arjuna), Kasani (Cichorium intybus), Biranjasipha (Achillea millefolium), Kakamachi (Solanum nigrum), Jhavuka (Tamarix gallica), Kasamarada (Cassia occidentalis), and Mandur bhasma. MATERIALS AND METHODS The present field trial was conducted in Venkateswara Dairy Farm, Mundargi, Gadag, India. A total of 18 Holstein Friesian crossbred cows of moderately milk-producing, different lactations and age groups were randomly grouped into three groups of 6 cows each. viz, Group-1: control, Group-2: 1 Liv.52 Vet bolus, twice daily and Group-3: 2 Liv.52 Vet boli, twice daily for 10 days. All the cows were maintained at standard managemental conditions. The animals chosen for the study had attained peak milk yield and were in the declining phase (more than 120 days after calving) of milk production. General health was recorded based on

2 the physical examination of the cows. The milk yield of each cow was recorded on a daily basis for a period of 35 days {i.e. before treatment (7 days), during treatment (10 days) and after treatment (18 days)}. Corrected lactometer reading (CLR) and fat estimations were done before, during (two times), and after treatment. RESULTS Liv.52 Vet Bolus (one bolus twice daily and two boli, twice daily) were fed to dairy cows for 10 days. Liv.52 Vet improved appetite of the dairy cows in both groups (Group-2 and Group- 3) and also improved general health of dairy cows. Daily milk yield of dairy cows improved in Group-2 compared to Group-3. Increased trend of milk yield of each animal on a daily basis was noticed in Group-2 (Figure 1). There was a numerical improvement in milk yield in Group-2 animals compared to Group-3 and Group-1. Overall, 14% improvement in milk yield recorded by feeding 1 bolus of Liv.52 Vet compared to 2.14% improvement by feeding 2 boli of Liv.52 Vet, twice daily. Liv.52 Vet bolus improved fat % in Group-2 (Figure-2) compared to Group-3 and Group-1. Corrected lactometer reading (Figure-3) was unchanged even after feeding Liv.52 Vet in Group-2 and Group-3 cows. No antibiotic or chemical growth promoter was used. No adverse effects were observed throughout the trial period in all 3 groups. DISCUSSION On-field trial was conducted in a dairy farm for assessing the role of Liv.52 Vet on general health of dairy cows. Two groups were administered with Liv.52 Vet Bolus at 1 bolus and 2 boli, twice daily for 10 days and one group of cows maintained as control without Liv.52 Vet Bolus. The administration of Liv.52 Vet Bolus showed excellent improvement in general health of dairy cows, which was associated with improved feed intake and milk production. It is possible that in cases of poor general health with anorexia, there is some derangement or disturbance of liver function and its correction might lead to improvement of appetite, consequent to better digestion, absorption and assimilation. This might help protein synthesis. Improvement of hepatic function might promote the various metabolic processes that could help improve the functional efficiency of the gastrointestinal tract, improve the tonus of the rumen and the intestines, promote a general feeling of well-being and, thus, contribute towards the improvement of appetite, general health and milk production. This improvement in appetite, general health, milk yield, and fat percentage might be due to the synergistic action of various ingredients in the formulation.

3 The constituents of Capparis spinosa include the saccharides and glycosides, flavonoids, alkaloids, terpenoids and volatile oils, fatty acids and steroids and so on. Capparis spinosa has many pharmacological effects, such as anti-inflammatory, odynolysis, antifungal, hepatoprotective effect, hypoglycemic activity, antioxidant, anti-hyperlipemea, anticoagulant, smooth muscle stimulant, anti-stress, and memory enhancing effects. It is used to treat arthrolithiasis, rheumarthritis, and dermatoses in domestic animals. 1 In a study involving treatment with Terminalia arjuna fractions in petroleum ether (A), solvent ether (B), ethanol (C), and water (D) at the doses of 250 mg/kg per oral (p.o.), only the ethanolic fraction (C) exerted significant lipid-lowering effect as assessed by reversal of plasma levels of Tc, Tg, and PL in hyperlipidemic rats. In another experiment, treatment with Terminalia arjuna fractions at the doses of 250 mg/kg p.o, only two fractions (B and C) could exert significant lowering in the plasma levels of lipids and glucose in dyslipidemic hamsters. 2 The leaf extract of Cichorium intybus at oral dosage of 200, 400, and 500 mg/kg exhibited significant (p<0.05) protective effect against CCl 4 induced hepatoxocity. Cichorium intybus extract significantly suppressed mainly the increase in plasma activities of AST, ALT, ALP and TB concentration, which confirms the hepatoprotective activity of the hydroalcholic extract of Cichorium intybus. 3 The in vitro antioxidant and antimicrobial activities of two Achillea millefolium (Adanson) Koch S.L species essential oils (A. collina Becker ex Heimerl s.l. and A. pannonica Scheele, Asteraceae) originating from the Golija and Radan mountains (Serbia) were investigated. The high percentage of oxygenated monoterpenes and absence of azulene in the essential oil obtained from A. pannonica from Radan pointing that this population is octaploid. Essential oil of A. pannonica expressed stronger antimicrobial activity on almost all tested bacteria. Further, this essential oil expressed higher scavenging effects on DPPH radical (IC (50) = 0.52 comparing to 0.62 mug/ml). 4 Rats were treated with crude extracts of Solanum nigrum alone and both before and after 6 hours of stress exposure. Six hours of restraint stress caused a significant decrease in the activities of Superoxide Dismutase, Catalase, Glutathione-S-Transferase and the level of glucose, while increasing the levels of uric acid and lipid peroxidation. The post- treatment of crude extract was found more effective in restoring restraint stress-induced changes in rat plasma than pre-treatment. 5

4 The protection against liver carcinogenesis by Tamarix gallica methanolic extract might be mediated by multiple actions, which include restoration of cellular antioxidant enzymes, detoxifying enzymes, ODC activity, and DNA synthesis. 6 The increased enzyme levels after liver damage with carbon tetrachloride were nearing to normal value when treated with aqueous extract of the roots of Hygrophila spinosa and Cassia occidentalis. Histopathological observation also proved the hepatoprotectivity of the root samples. 7 Mandura bhasma, an ayurvedic preparation of iron, is used in traditional medicine against hepatitis. Simultaneous treatment with Mandur bhasma prevented the paraffin - mediated and CC1 4 -mediated changes in the enzyme activities. 8 CONCLUSIONS It can be concluded that Liv.52 Vet Bolus plays a vital role in improving appetite, and general health of dairy cows. Acknowledgements: The encouragement provided by The Himalaya Drug Company, Bangalore, for supplying the trial material Liv.52 Vet Bolus for this trial is thankfully acknowledged. References available on request.

5 Figure 1: Efficacy of Liv.52 Vet Bolus on milk yield of dairy cows Figure 2: Efficacy of Liv.52 Vet Bolus on fat % of dairy cows

6 Figure 3: Efficacy of LIv.52 Vet Bolus on CLR reading