TY - JOUR AU - Mendoza Martinez, Germán David AU - Ortega Alvarez, Nora Idolina AU - Hernández García, Pedro Abel PY - 2022/04/12 Y2 - 2024/03/28 TI - Impact of a plant feed additive containing vitamin C on Holstein cow’s performance under heat stress conditions JF - Emirates Journal of Food and Agriculture JA - Emir J Food Agric VL - 34 IS - 3 SE - Research Article DO - 10.9755/ejfa.2022.v34.i3.2835 UR - https://ejfa.me/index.php/journal/article/view/2835 SP - AB - <p>A phytobiotic with secondary metabolites and with vitamin C, elaborated with Emblica officinalis and Ocimum sanctum (Polyherbal vitamin <br>C), was evaluated for milk production, reproductive performance, cytokines, and reactive oxygen species (ROS) production in first calving <br>Holstein cows under heat stress conditions. Two hundred primiparous cows with 20 ± 6 days in milk (initial body weight 521 ± 70.0 kg) <br>were fed a basal diet (19.40% CP; 1.43 Mcal/kg Nel dry matter (DM)) and randomly assigned to one of the treatments: 0 or 20 g/d of <br>the Polyherbal vitamin C was integrated daily into the diet with the fresh total mixed ration directly in the feeder. The experiment lasted <br>131 days and measurements of production were made daily and milk composition every 30 days. Pregnancy was recorded at the first <br>service and accumulated in the experimental period. Results showed that the production and composition of milk were not affected by <br>the supplementation with Polyherbal vitamin C, however, the accumulated gestation rate improved from 45.74 to 59.34% (P = 0.06), <br>particularly that of the first service (20.21 to 34.06%; P = 0.03). Mastitis problems were reduced from 21.28 to 12.09% (P = 0.09). <br>Polyherbal vitamin C did not modify the production of IL-1β, while the serum levels of IL-6 decreased significantly (P &lt;0.001) compared <br>to the unsupplemtented cows. All these results indicate that the Polyherbal vitamin C can improve the gestation rate of Holstein dairy <br>cattle and have beneficial health effects by reducing mastitis problems. Also, Polyherbal vitamin C can exert an anti-inflammatory effect <br>by lowering IL-6 levels and reducing ROS production.</p> ER -