Tackling the future challenges of Organic Animal Husbandry - vTI

! Agriculture and Forestry Research, Special Issue No 362 (Braunschweig, 2012) ISSN 0376-0723
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Abstract
394
Effects on vitamin status and health in dairy cows fed
without synthetic vitamins
BIRGITTA JOHANSSON 1 , KARIN PERSSON WALLER 2 , SÖREN K JENSEN 2 ,
HANNA LINDQVIST 1 , ELISABET NADEAU 1
1 Department of Animal Environment and Health,
Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Skara, Sweden,
eMail: birgitta.johansson@slu.se
2 Department of Animal Health and Antimicrobial Strategies,
National Veterinary Institute, Uppsala, Sweden and
Department of Clinical Sciences, Swedish University of
Agricultural Sciences, Uppsala, Sweden.
3 Department of Animal science, Aarhus University,
Tjele, Denmark
Synthetic vitamin supplementation is not consistent with organic production and it is important to
investigate how dairy cows manage without synthetic vitamin supplementation. The study aimed to
compare the performance of cows given no synthetic vitamins (NSV) with cows (control; C) fed
synthetic vitamins according to Swedish recommendations. Swedish Holstein cows (n=28) fed a
100 % organic diet were studied during two lactations. Vitamin status in cow plasma and milk, milk
yield and composition, health and fertility were measured. From each cow, five blood and five milk
samples were collected during lactation. In first lactation, C cows tended to have a higher concentration
of α-tocopherol and their β-carotene concentration was higher compared to NSV cows. The
C cows tended to have fewer cases of mastitis than NSV cows in the second lactation. No differences
were found in production and fertility. In conclusion, dairy cows need vitamin A and E supplement,
at least around calving when the requirements are high.
Key words: α-tocopherol, β-carotene, retinol, organic milk production, dairy cow
Introduction
Synthetic vitamins are not applicable with the principles in organic production. Consequently, it is
important to investigate whether dairy cows can maintain their production and health without synthetic
vitamins A and E added to their diets. The most important function of vitamin E is the antioxidant
effect and, thereby, its positive effect on the immune system (Politis, et al, 1996), and its action
in maintaining oxidative stability and flavour of milk (Vagni et al, 2011). Vitamin A (retinol) is
not found in plants, and is mainly fed as β-carotene which is converted to retinol in the intestine.
However, β-carotene concentrations in feeds are highly variable (Calderon et al, 2007; Lindqvist,
2012). The study aim was to find out if high producing organic dairy cows could secure their needs
of vitamins A and E during two lactations, without any supplementation of synthetic vitamins, but
when fed organic feeds chosen for high vitamin contents.
Material and methodology
The experiment was conducted during two complete lactations at Tingvall Organic Research Farm,
Sweden. The herd consisted of Swedish Holstein dairy cows with a rolling herd average of 9873
and 10383 kg energy corrected milk per cow and year during year 1 and 2, respectively. The two