Melatonin administration during the dry period stimulates subsequent milk yield and weight gain of offspring in subtropical does kidding in summer

Abstract

In the present experiment, we tested the hypothesis that in does kidding in summer, melatonin administration during dry period is galactopoietic for the subsequent lactation and results in improved growth of their suckling kids. Twenty-five multiparous pregnant creole does were enrolled into a randomized complete block design during their dry period in the 49 d prepartum, and under natural long photoperiods around the summer solstice, pregnant does either received 2 subcutaneous ear implants (18 mg) of melatonin (MEL, n = 10) or served as nonimplanted controls (CONT, n = 15). During the first 14 wk of subsequent lactation (suckling and milking periods), MEL does yielded more milk than CONT does. Throughout subsequent lactation, milk composition was not affected by treatment. In MEL does, peripheral triiodothyronine levels peaked at 2 wk of lactation, remaining higher than in CONT does. The mean daily weight gain was higher in MEL compared with CONT kids and was also higher in males than females, and for males, was positively correlated with milk yield. The current data support our hypothesis that melatonin during the prepartum period is galactopoietic in suckling does.

Effects of Melatonin on Dairy Herd Improvement (DHI) of Holstein Cow with High SCS

“…Melatonin production exhibits an apparent circadian rhythm, with the peak at dark and the baseline level during the day [28]. Melatonin administration during a dry period is galactopoietic for the subsequent lactation in goats [29]. Few studies have reported the effects of melatonin supplement on milk quality in cows evaluated by the DHI, which is considered as the best index to reflect milk quality in the field.…”

Implanting melatonin at lambing enhances lamb growth and maintains high fat content in milk

“…Cashmere goats that had received an implant at day 50 of lactation presented a higher fat content in the milk of than was in the milk of control goats; however, daily yields of milk, milk protein, and milk lactose were lower in the implanted goats than they were in the controls goats [14]. Melatonin administration to does in the dry period, seven weeks before kidding, produced a galactopoietic response in the subsequent lactation and an improved daily weight gain of their suckling kids, especially, males [15].…”

Implanting melatonin at lambing enhances lamb growth and maintains high fat content in milk

“…Yang et al (2019) reported a higher fat content in the milk of Cashmere goats that had received an implant at day 50 of lactation than was in the milk of control goats; however, daily yields of milk, milk protein, and milk lactose were lower in the implanted goats than they were in the controls goats. Melatonin administration to does in the dry period, seven weeks before kidding, produced a galactopoietic response in the subsequent lactation and an improved daily weight gain of their suckling kids, especially, males (Avilés et al 2019).…”