Using Hop Cones, Vitamin E, Methionine, Choline and Carnitine for Treatment of Subclinical Ketosis in Transition Dairy Cows

The aim of this study was to determine the effectiveness of feed additive that contains hop cones, vitamin E, choline, methionine and carnitine in the treatment of subclinical ketosis in transition dairy cows. Twenty multiparous dairy cows with a milk yield > 5000 kg in the previous lactation were used after calving in this experiment. The cows were divided into two groups: control - healthy cow (n = 10) and experimental – cows with subclinical ketosis (n = 10). The subclinical ketosis cows received a feed additive containing ground pellets of hop cones - 20 g, alpha-tocopherol - 3 g, rumen protected choline - 20 g, methionine - 20 g and L-carnitine - 1 g per head per day for 20 days. Blood samples were collected from the tail (coccygeal) vein before morning feeding on 1st and 20th days of experiment. Levels of glucose and β-hydroxybutyrate ketone were determined in blood. Insulin and cortisol were measured in the plasma. Total protein, albumin, urea nitrogen, aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) were measured in serum. In the urine, ketone bodies were detected. The results obtained showed that the subclinical ketosis cows before treatment had a β-hydroxybutyrate level decreased by 36% and also glucose level was lower than healthy ones. After treatment, levels of glucose, insulin and cortisol increased by 31 %, 22 % and 15% respectively in subclinical ketosis animals. The feed additive also has a hepatoprotective properties as serum albumin level increased, while urea nitrogen level decreased in comparison to the healthy cows. However, these changes are superimposed on the natural physiological changes that occur in the blood parameters during the first few weeks after calving, as the healthy cows that did not receive feed additives showed unidirectional changes but less pronounced. On conclusion, the proposed feed additive can be used in the treatment and prevention of subclinical ketosis.