Effects of feeding Leptaden to dairy cows.
Research
Abstract
Three trials with Brown Swis and aged Holstein cows were conducted with Leptaden (extracts of plants—Leptadenia reticulata and Breynia patens) added to a standard ration. The cows were in late, early, and middle stages of lactation in Trials 1, 2, and 3, respectively. Following three weeks pretreatment, cows in the Leptaden group were administered 10 Leptaden tablets (268 mg/tablet) twice daily in the first trial and 15 tablets twice daily in the second and third trials for 21 days. This period was succeeded by a three week post-treatment period. Leptaden feeding did not produce any significant effect on average feed intake. Both control and experimental groups lost body weight during the trials, but there was no significant differences in weight change between the groups. Leptaden-fed cows did not increase in milk production or change in the content of fat or total solids in their milk compared to the controls. Heart rates, respiratory rates, and rectal temperatures of all cows were within normal ranges in all periods. The serum protein-bound iodine and blood glucose indicated that Leptaden did not impair thyroid activities of the cows. No significant differences were noted in other health related data between the Leptaden-fed and control cows.