Efeito da dieta aniônica por diferentes períodos sobre o metabolismo de vacas leiteiras durante o periparto

Abstract

This dissertation deals with the peripartum of dairy cows, specifically on subclinical hypocalcemia and the use of anionic diet as a prevention strategy. The first study concerns the diet’s use for different periods during prepartum in cows induced to subclinical hypocalcemia in order to evaluate the calcium behavior and hemogasometric parameters. Nine cows were divided into three subclinical hypocalcemia induction groups: G0 (without anionic diet), G11 (11 days on anionic diet) and G15 (15 days on anionic diet). Induction of hypocalcemia was performed for six hours and the animals were monitored for 72 hours. There was no difference in the serum calcium parameters between G11 and G15, and it was possible to reduce the diet’s usage without damage to 11 days of prepartum. The second study involved the evaluation of postpartum immune status of animals that received different prepartum cation-anionic diets. Fourteen cows were divided into two groups: GA (prepartum anionic diet) and NG (prepartum neutral diet), post-partum serum calcium and acute phase protein levels were evaluated. The animals were monitored every 12 hours for 3 days from the partum. The animals that received anionic diet in prepartum showed less occurrence of subclinical hypocalcemia and improvements on immune status. Hypocalcemia is still one of the most important metabolic disorders of peripartum as it changes the synthesis of acute phase proteins and it is involved in the occurrence of other postpartum disorders. The anionic diet may be used as a tool to prevent the disease in order to not impair the inflammatory status of the animals and contribute to the reduction of peripartum disorders allowing lower production costs.