Effect of monensin on reproductive performance and milk production in lactating dairy cows
Abstract: Thirty-one lactating Friesian dairy cows were used to determine the effect of monensin supplement on blood components, reproductive performance, body condition score (BCS) and milk production. Animals were divided into three groups as follows:
Group 1 (n = 9) was considered as control group without monensin supplementation; group 2 (n = 12) was received 300 mg monensin/ head/day for 40 days before calving and continued to day 60 postpartum and the cows in group 3 (n = 10) were received the same dose of monensin from calving till day 60 postpartum. Monensin had no significant effect on blood metabolites. BCS at calving was significantly (P < 0.05) increased in group 2 fed monensin compared with the other groups, but, the increase in BCS at conception was significant (P < 0.05) in both groups fed monensin compared with that of control group. Supplementation with monensin in group 2 significantly (P < 0.05) reduced the interval from calving to both first estrus and first AI and to conception as well as the length of the first estrus cycle (19.67 d). A higher pregnancy rate was recorded in group 2 (66.7%) and group 3 (50.0%) compared with that in control group (22.2%). Moreover, monensin significantly increased milk production by about 2.16 kg/d (7.2%) in group 2 but had no significant effect on milk composition. It can be concluded that monensin can be used as a feed supplement for the lactating dairy cows for 40d before calving till day 60 postpartum to improve their reproductive performance and to increase milk production without any marked changes in milk fat and other milk components.
Publication year 2005
Availability location معهد بحوث الانتاج الحيوانى-شارع ناد ى الصيد- الدقى - الجيزة
Availability number
Organization Name
City طنطا
serial title Journal Agricultural Research Tanta University
Author(s) from ARC
External authors (outside ARC)
    ابراهيم محمود عبد الرازق جامعة طنطا
    عبد السلام موسى متولى جامعة طنطا
Agris Categories Animal physiology - Reproduction
AGROVOC
TERMS		 Blood composition. Dairy cows. Milk fat. Milk production. Monensin. Reproductive performance.
Proposed Agrovoc milk components;body condition score;
Publication Type Journal
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