Effect of 2 herbal intramammary products on milk quantity and quality compared with conventional and no dry cow therapy

Abstract

Dry cow therapy, administered at the end of lactation, is aimed at eliminating current and preventing future intramammary (IMM) bacterial infections and typically involves intramammary administration of antibiotics. Certified organic dairies in the United States are restricted from using antibiotics and must consider an alternative therapy or no dry cow therapy. The current study compared 2 herbal products to conventional dry cow therapy and no treatment for a total of 5 treatments over 2 trials. Trial 1 was conducted over 3 yr on 1 research farm and trial 2 included 4 commercial farms plus the research herd over 2 yr. Treatments included (1) a conventional IMM antibiotic and internal teat sealant (penicillin-dihydrostreptomycin and bismuth subnitrate; CON); (2) an herbal IMM product purported to act as a teat sealant (Cinnatube, New AgriTech Enterprises, Locke, NY; CIN); (3) an herbal IMM product (Phyto-Mast, Bovinity Health LLC, Narvon, PA; P-M); (4) Phyto-Mast and Cinnatube (PC); or (5) no dry cow therapy (NT). Each treatment group was balanced by breed, lactation number, due date, herd, and year. However, the CON treatment was used only in the research herd because of the intent to avoid antibiotic usage on the other 4 farms. Comparisons among treatments included the difference between pre- and posttreatment 305-d mature equivalent milk production (trial 1), somatic cell score change from dry-off to freshening at the cow and quarter levels (trials 1 and 2), and milk microbiology change over the dry period (trial 2). We detected no significant differences among treatments for milk yield differences between the lactation following treatment and the lactation preceding treatment. Changes in somatic cell score from one lactation to the next also did not differ significantly among treatments in either trial. Cure rates were not significantly different among treatments; only 19.6% of all quarters were infected at dry off. The proportion of quarters with new infections at 3 to 5d postcalving did not significantly differ among treatments, except between CIN and NT. Percentages (least squares means ± standard error) of quarters with new infections were 24 ± 21% for CON, 15 ± 7% for CIN, 30 ± 10% for P-M, 32 ± 11% for PC, and 35 ± 11% for NT. The efficacy of the herbal products was similar to that of conventional therapy, and the herbal products had no apparent adverse effects.

Pharmacological Overview of Galactogogues

“…Several herbal galactogogues have been reported as safe substances that in appropriate and economic doses can be used therapeutically in domestic animals [67] and in food supplements of dairy herds [7, 126]. The herbal derivative products use in dairy industry relies on the new trend in dairy sector of organic dairy farming [19, 133]. Some herbs demonstrate efficacy in increasing milk production in women with mammary hypoplasia [134].…”

Non-antimicrobial approaches at drying-off for treating and preventing intramammary infections in dairy cows. Part 1. Meta-analyses of efficacy of using an internal teat sealant without a concomitant antimicrobial treatment

“…In most studies, a minimal level of udder health was specified to recruit cows and/or quarters. Only four studies (Elecko et al ., 1985; Schaeren and Maurer, 2005; Bhutto et al ., 2011; Mullen et al ., 2014) had not reported specific herd, cow, or quarter udder health-based selection criteria and, thus, appeared to have conducted their trial on infected and uninfected cows or quarters altogether.…”

“…Note that the positive control groups in the Mullen et al . (2014) trials received an antibiotic and a bismuth subnitrate-based ITS (versus an antibiotic only).…”

Short communication: Effect of 3 phytoceutical products on elimination of bacteria in experimentally induced Streptococcus uberis clinical mastitis

“…measured by milk production and SCC (Mullen et al, 2014a). From these data, phytoceuticals have not been found to adversely affect milk production or increase SCC, but the tested phytoceuticals also do not appear to effectively treat mastitis as measured by SCC.…”