Omnigen-AF® supplementation for dairy cows during transition period and early lactation: metabolic impacts

• Grant number: 15/23374-9
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: January 01, 2016
• End date: December 31, 2016
• Field of knowledge: Agronomical Sciences - Animal Husbandry - Animal Production
• Principal Investigator: José Luiz Moraes Vasconcelos
• Grantee: Rafaela Dias Bertin
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia (FMVZ). Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP). Campus de Botucatu. Botucatu , SP, Brazil

Abstract

The objective of this study is to evaluate if Omnigen-AF® supplementation can improve energy status of transition and early lactation dairy cows. Forty multiparous crossbred Holstein/Gir pregnant non-lactating cows will be classified according to body weight (BW) and body condition score (BCS)30 days previous to the expected calving date and assigned to one of two treatments: 1)diet formulated to meet maintenance and lactation requirements with Omnigen-AF® supplementation (56g/animal/day); or 2) diet formulated to meet maintenance and lactation requirements with caolin (ruminal inert product) supplementation (56g/animal/day). Animals will be kept in drylot pens with natural shade and ad libitum water and corn silage. Concentrate and supplementation (Omnigen-AF® or caolin) will be fed individually in headlock system during all the experimental period. BW will be recorded weekly and BCS every fifteen days. Blood samples will be collected every 5 days from d-30 to d-5 (relative to expected calving date) and from d22 to d46 (relative to actual calving date) and daily from d0 (calving date) to d21 for plasma concentrations of NEFA, glucose and insulin. Data will be analyzed using SAS MIXED procedure. NEFA, glucose and insulin data will be analyzed as repeated measures.