Veterinarska stanica, Vol. 49 No. 2, 2018.
Original scientific paper
Effect of melatonin administration prior to calving on milk secretion in the next lactation in dairy cows
Morini Giorgio
; Department of Veterinary-Medical Science, University of Parma, Italy
Maicol Pittella
; Department of Veterinary-Medical Science, University of Parma, Italy
Andrea Poli
; Department of Veterinary-Medical Science, University of Parma, Italy
Fabio De Rensis
; Department of Veterinary-Medical Science, University of Parma, Italy
Abstract
This study evaluated the effects of melatonin administration 60 days prior to expect calving (drying-off period) on milk yield during the next lactation. Sixty dairy cows were treated with subcutaneous melatonin implants during summer (n=30) or winter (n=30) period. Another 60 animals were not treated and served as the control. There were no differences in the average milk yield between treated and untreated animals (44.5±3.7 and 44.8±5.0 kg/day for melatonin and control cows, respectively). There was an effect of season with a higher winter milk yield than in summer (43.8±5.0 and 47.1±3.0 kg/day for melatonin and control groups, respectively). The interaction between melatonin and season showed no significant effect; however, during winter, milk yield tended to be higher (P=0.06) in control cows than in melatonin treated cows (45.3±3.7 and 49.2±3.0, respectively). This study indicates that treatment with melatonin prior to calving did not modify milk yield during the following lactation. Only a tendency for a reduction in milk yield during winter was observed in melatonin treated cows.
Keywords
melatonin; dairy cow; milk yield
Hrčak ID:
223023
URI
Publication date:
2.4.2018.
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