Influence of duration of prepartum and postpartum vitamin E supplementation on mastitis and milk yield in crossbred cows

Abstract

The influence of supplelmenting vitamin E on the incidence of mastitis and milk yield was studied using 20 crossbred dry pregnant cows. They were divided into 4 equal groups and were supplemented with 1000 iu a-tocopheryl acetate from O (group 1 ), 15 (group 2). 30 (group 3) and 60 (group 4) days before parturition to 30 days after parturition.All the cows were kept under similar feeding and management conditions. After parturition, fortnightly milk samples were tested for sub-clinical mastitis (SCM) using modified California mastitis test (MCMT) and somatic cell count. In the first fortnight after parturition, per cent incidence of SCM and severity/teat was 35,25, 15, 10 and 0.95.0.65,0.20,0.20 in group 1,2,3 and 4, respectively. At 30 days of lactation, incidence of SCM increased only in group 1. The severity score/teat was 3-5 times more in group 1 and 2 than that in groups 3 and 4 and 1.5 times than that in group 2. The number of somatic cell counts was, also more in groups 1 and 2 as compared to groups 3 and 4. The number of clinical mastitis cases were 2,2.1 and 1 in 4 respective groups. The days in clinical mastitis in cows of groups 1 and 2 were more than groups 3 and 4 cows.The cases of retained placenta were 2.21 and 0 in 4 respective groups. Daily milk yield during first month of lactation averaged 12.59, 13.22, 16.23 and 17.83 kg in groups 1,2,3 and 4, respectively, which showed significant reduction in milk yield of groups 1 and 2 due to higher incidence of clinical as well as sub-clinical mastitis. There was no change in the milk composition of different groups of cows. It was inferred that vitamin E @ 1000 iu/c/d should be supplemented from at least 30 days prepartum to 30 days postpartum to reduce the incidence of mastitis and retained placenta as well as to have beneficial effect on milk yield.