A study into the potential for preventing subacute dyspeptic acidosis in dairy cows by adding zeolite (clinoptilolite) to their feed
Doctoral Thesis
Author
Karatzia, Maria-Anastasia H., Supervisor: Roubias, Nikolaos, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, School of Veterinary Medicine, 2010.
Subject
An experimental study investigated the effect of adding a natural zeolite, clinoptilolite, to the cattle diet on the prevention of subacute dyspeptic acidosis (UDA). Ten healthy Holstein cows, which were in the dry period and not pregnant, were used.
Following the creation of a permanent external fistula in the rumen, the animals were fed for 21 days on a diet that met their maintenance requirements (3 kg of alfalfa hay, 3 kg of wheat straw and 2.5 kg of concentrated feed mix). The animals were divided into two groups (C: Control, E: Experimental animals) based on their age and body weight. One day before the start of Part I of the experiment, 5 and 17 hours after feeding, two blood samples and gastric contents were collected from the gastric caeca, and the pH was measured.
Part I lasted 5 days, and the feeding protocol according to Krause and Oetzel was applied to the two groups. One group was given an additional 200 g of clinoptilolite per animal per day. Blood and gastric content samples were taken twice a day, 5 and 17 hours after feeding. Fifteen days after the end of the experiment, the same procedure was repeated with the groups reversed.
Part II began 15 days after the end of Part I and lasted 90 days. On day 0, the animals were weighed, blood samples were taken and stomach contents were collected. On day 1, 50 per cent of the daily ration was administered, whilst from Day 2 until Day 90 they consumed their daily ration plus an additional 1.7 kg of wheat and barley pellets. Group P was fed 200 g of clinoptilolite per cow per day. Blood and rumen fluid samples were taken every 3 days, 5 hours after feeding. Feed intake was not affected by the addition of clinoptilolite. Animals not receiving clinoptilolite exhibited clear symptoms of O.D.
Results
In group M, the pH value decreased significantly, the total concentration of free fatty acids increased, and the percentage ratio of the three most important free fatty acids changed significantly. In contrast, in group P, clinoptilolite prevented the pH from falling, acting as a buffer, and the total concentration of total organic phosphorus did not change significantly. In group M, the haematocrit value increased, haemoglobin, due to dehydration, and the levels of white blood cells and neutrophils, due to inflammation of the M.K.. The increases in β-HBA and AcAc are due to the increased concentration of butyric acid.
No significant changes were observed in group P. The body weight of the control group decreased significantly.