Supplementation with green tea and oregano extracts on productive characteristics, blood metabolites, and antioxidant status of Jersey cows during the transition period.

Plant extracts have been recognized as beneficial to human health and have been evaluated as feed additive for domestic and companion animals. This study evaluated oregano and green tea extracts fed to Jersey cows from approximately 21 d before calving to 21 d after calving on milk production, milk composition, and blood metabolites as well as investigated immunological and antioxidant attributes. Twenty-four Jersey cows with 441 ±â€¯27 kg of BW, 3.5 ±â€¯0.3 of body condition score (BCS), and 2.7 ±â€¯1.8 lactations were selected at approximately 28 d before the expected parturition date and were randomly assigned to three treatments with eight cows each: without plant extracts in diet (control - CON), addition of 10 g per day of oregano extract (OR), and addition of 5 g per day of green tea extract (GT). Feed intake, BW, BCS, blood metabolites, hemogram as well as oxidative stress biomarkers were evaluated from approximately 3 weeks prepartum to 3 weeks postpartum (transition period) while milk production and composition were evaluated during the first 3 weeks of lactation. Plant extracts did not change BW, BCS, and DM intake (DMI) throughout the transition period, but OR increased in approximately 20% total digestive nutrients and metabolizable energy intake on days 15 and 16 postpartum compared with CON. In the prepartum, OR increased in 48% platelets count compared to the CON, while GT augmented in 142% eosinophils compared with CON. Oregano extract reduced the levels of reactive species in the erythrocytes in 40% during prepartum and postpartum compared with CON, while GT reduced its levels in 24 and 29% during prepartum and postpartum, respectively, when compared with CON. In the postpartum period, OR increased in 60% the carbonylated protein content compared with CON, while GT reduced in 45% the levels of reactive species in plasma compared with CON. During the postpartum, both extracts increased in 33% the concentration of reduced glutathione when compared with CON. Moreover, GT tended to decrease feed efficiency in 11% when compared with CON; OE reduced milk pH and somatic cell count when compared with CON. In conclusion, OE and GT did not expressively affect immunological attributes in blood but reduce some oxidative stress biomarkers without compromising productive traits of Jersey cows during the transition period.

Dairy cows change locomotion score and sensitivity to pain with trimming and infectious or non-infectious lesions.

Lameness can negatively affect production, but there is still controversy about the perception of pain in dairy cows. This study aimed to verify the effects of hoof affections in dairy cows on locomotion score, physiological attributes, pressure nociceptive threshold, and thermographic variables, as well as assess improvement on these variables after corrective trimming and treatment. Thirty-four lame lactating cows were gait-scored, and all cows with locomotion score ≥4 were retained for this study 1 day before trimming. Lame cows were diagnosed, pressure nociceptive threshold at sound, and affected hooves were measured, thermographic images were recorded, and physiological attributes were evaluated. Hooves with lesions were trimmed and treated and cows were re-evaluated 1 week after such procedures. The experimental design was a completely randomized design. Each cow was considered an experimental unit and traits were analyzed using paired t test, linear correlation, and linear regression. Digital and interdigital dermatitis were classified as infectious diseases while laminitis sequels, sole ulcers, and white line were classified as non-infectious diseases. After 1 week, the locomotion score was reduced on average in 1.5 points. Trimming increased the pressure nociceptive threshold for cows with non-infectious affections while tended to increase the pressure nociceptive threshold for cows with infectious affections. Physiological attributes and thermographic values did not change with trimming. Trimming and treatment have benefic effects on animal welfare as gait is improved and sensitivity to pain is reduced.