Consequences of reduced vitamin A administration on mammary health of dairy ewes

The study was carried out in Mytilene breed dairy ewes, which were allocated into two groups, 2 months before their first mating. All animals were given a diet based on dried alfalfa hay and concentrate compound feed with no added vitamin A or copper, hence making the diet poor in β-carotene and vit...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Small ruminant research 2013-03, Vol.110 (2-3), p.120-123
Main Authors: Koutsoumpas, A.T., Giadinis, N.D., Petridou, E.J., Konstantinou, E., Brozos, C., Lafi, S.Q., Fthenakis, G.C., Karatzias, H.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
alfalfa hay
bacteria
coagulase negative staphylococci
copper
dairy sheep
diet
ewes
lactation
lambing
Mastitis
milk
risk
secretion
Sheep
somatic cell count
Somatic cell counts
somatic cells
Subclinical mastitis
Vitamin A
vitamin deficiencies
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Summary:The study was carried out in Mytilene breed dairy ewes, which were allocated into two groups, 2 months before their first mating. All animals were given a diet based on dried alfalfa hay and concentrate compound feed with no added vitamin A or copper, hence making the diet poor in β-carotene and vitamin A. Ewes in group A were administered intramuscularly 150,000IU of vitamin A at 3-month intervals, whilst animals in group B remained untreated. After lambing and on five occasions in total during their first lactation period, milk samples were collected from animals for somatic cell counting. Samples with somatic cell counts ≥0.5×106cellsmL−1, as well as samples from clinical cases of mastitis were examined bacteriologically. Significantly (P
ISSN:0921-4488
1879-0941
DOI:10.1016/j.smallrumres.2012.11.018