Effect of Dietary Supplementation with a Mixture of Natural Antioxidants on Milk Yield, Composition, Oxidation Stability and Udder Health in Dairy Ewes
Due to the limitations in the use of antibiotic agents, researchers are constantly seeking natural bioactive compounds that could benefit udder health status but also milk quality characteristics in dairy animals. The aim of the current study was therefore to examine the effects of a standardized mi...
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| Format: | Article |
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MDPI AG
2023-08-01
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| Series: | Antioxidants |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3921/12/8/1571 |
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| author | Agori Karageorgou Maria Tsafou Michael Goliomytis Ariadni Hager-Theodorides Katerina Politi Panagiotis Simitzis |
| author_facet | Agori Karageorgou Maria Tsafou Michael Goliomytis Ariadni Hager-Theodorides Katerina Politi Panagiotis Simitzis |
| author_sort | Agori Karageorgou |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Due to the limitations in the use of antibiotic agents, researchers are constantly seeking natural bioactive compounds that could benefit udder health status but also milk quality characteristics in dairy animals. The aim of the current study was therefore to examine the effects of a standardized mixture of plant bioactive components (MPBC) originated from thyme, anise and olive on milk yield, composition, oxidative stability and somatic cell count in dairy ewes. Thirty-six ewes approximately 75 days after parturition were randomly allocated into three experimental treatments, which were provided with three diets: control (C); without the addition of the mixture, B1; supplemented with MPBC at 0.05% and B2; supplemented with rumen protected MPBC at 0.025%. The duration of the experiment was 11 weeks, and milk production was weekly recorded, while individual milk samples for the determination of composition, oxidative stability, somatic cell count (SCC), pH and electric conductivity were collected. Every two weeks, macrophage, lymphocyte, and polymorphonuclear leukocyte counts were also determined in individual milk samples. It was observed that milk yield was the greatest in the B2 group, with significant differences within the seventh and ninth week (<i>p</i> < 0.05), whereas no significant differences were found for milk composition, with the exception of the seventh week, when protein, lactose and non-fat solid levels were lower in MPBC groups (<i>p</i> < 0.05). Oxidative stability was improved in the groups that received the MPBC, with significant differences at the third, seventh, tenth and eleventh week (<i>p</i> < 0.05). SCC was also significantly lower at the second, eighth and ninth week in B2 compared to the other groups (<i>p</i> < 0.05), while no significant effects on the macrophage, lymphocyte, and polymorphonuclear leukocyte counts were observed. In conclusion, the MPBC addition had a positive effect on sheep milk yield, oxidative stability and somatic cell count, without any negative effect on its composition. |
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| format | Article |
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| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2076-3921 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-11T00:10:11Z |
| publishDate | 2023-08-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Antioxidants |
| spelling | doaj.art-11c4e1c659b24f0a92f7dc392842dca12023-11-19T00:02:03ZengMDPI AGAntioxidants2076-39212023-08-01128157110.3390/antiox12081571Effect of Dietary Supplementation with a Mixture of Natural Antioxidants on Milk Yield, Composition, Oxidation Stability and Udder Health in Dairy EwesAgori Karageorgou0Maria Tsafou1Michael Goliomytis2Ariadni Hager-Theodorides3Katerina Politi4Panagiotis Simitzis5Laboratory of Animal Breeding and Husbandry, Department of Animal Science, Agricultural University of Athens, Iera Odos 75, 11855 Athens, GreeceLaboratory of Animal Breeding and Husbandry, Department of Animal Science, Agricultural University of Athens, Iera Odos 75, 11855 Athens, GreeceLaboratory of Animal Breeding and Husbandry, Department of Animal Science, Agricultural University of Athens, Iera Odos 75, 11855 Athens, GreeceLaboratory of Animal Breeding and Husbandry, Department of Animal Science, Agricultural University of Athens, Iera Odos 75, 11855 Athens, GreeceLaboratory of Animal Breeding and Husbandry, Department of Animal Science, Agricultural University of Athens, Iera Odos 75, 11855 Athens, GreeceLaboratory of Animal Breeding and Husbandry, Department of Animal Science, Agricultural University of Athens, Iera Odos 75, 11855 Athens, GreeceDue to the limitations in the use of antibiotic agents, researchers are constantly seeking natural bioactive compounds that could benefit udder health status but also milk quality characteristics in dairy animals. The aim of the current study was therefore to examine the effects of a standardized mixture of plant bioactive components (MPBC) originated from thyme, anise and olive on milk yield, composition, oxidative stability and somatic cell count in dairy ewes. Thirty-six ewes approximately 75 days after parturition were randomly allocated into three experimental treatments, which were provided with three diets: control (C); without the addition of the mixture, B1; supplemented with MPBC at 0.05% and B2; supplemented with rumen protected MPBC at 0.025%. The duration of the experiment was 11 weeks, and milk production was weekly recorded, while individual milk samples for the determination of composition, oxidative stability, somatic cell count (SCC), pH and electric conductivity were collected. Every two weeks, macrophage, lymphocyte, and polymorphonuclear leukocyte counts were also determined in individual milk samples. It was observed that milk yield was the greatest in the B2 group, with significant differences within the seventh and ninth week (<i>p</i> < 0.05), whereas no significant differences were found for milk composition, with the exception of the seventh week, when protein, lactose and non-fat solid levels were lower in MPBC groups (<i>p</i> < 0.05). Oxidative stability was improved in the groups that received the MPBC, with significant differences at the third, seventh, tenth and eleventh week (<i>p</i> < 0.05). SCC was also significantly lower at the second, eighth and ninth week in B2 compared to the other groups (<i>p</i> < 0.05), while no significant effects on the macrophage, lymphocyte, and polymorphonuclear leukocyte counts were observed. In conclusion, the MPBC addition had a positive effect on sheep milk yield, oxidative stability and somatic cell count, without any negative effect on its composition.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3921/12/8/1571antioxidantslymphocytemacrophagemilk yieldplant bioactive compoundspolyphenols |
| spellingShingle | Agori Karageorgou Maria Tsafou Michael Goliomytis Ariadni Hager-Theodorides Katerina Politi Panagiotis Simitzis Effect of Dietary Supplementation with a Mixture of Natural Antioxidants on Milk Yield, Composition, Oxidation Stability and Udder Health in Dairy Ewes Antioxidants antioxidants lymphocyte macrophage milk yield plant bioactive compounds polyphenols |
| title | Effect of Dietary Supplementation with a Mixture of Natural Antioxidants on Milk Yield, Composition, Oxidation Stability and Udder Health in Dairy Ewes |
| title_full | Effect of Dietary Supplementation with a Mixture of Natural Antioxidants on Milk Yield, Composition, Oxidation Stability and Udder Health in Dairy Ewes |
| title_fullStr | Effect of Dietary Supplementation with a Mixture of Natural Antioxidants on Milk Yield, Composition, Oxidation Stability and Udder Health in Dairy Ewes |
| title_full_unstemmed | Effect of Dietary Supplementation with a Mixture of Natural Antioxidants on Milk Yield, Composition, Oxidation Stability and Udder Health in Dairy Ewes |
| title_short | Effect of Dietary Supplementation with a Mixture of Natural Antioxidants on Milk Yield, Composition, Oxidation Stability and Udder Health in Dairy Ewes |
| title_sort | effect of dietary supplementation with a mixture of natural antioxidants on milk yield composition oxidation stability and udder health in dairy ewes |
| topic | antioxidants lymphocyte macrophage milk yield plant bioactive compounds polyphenols |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3921/12/8/1571 |
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