Production performance of dairy cows after the dietary addition of clinoptilolite

<p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 8.0px Verdana;">Clays are frequently proposed for the addition to dairy cattle diets to reduce the transfer of mycotoxins in milk. This study<span style="font: 12.0px Helvetica;">&nbsp;</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 8.0px Verdana;">examined the effect of the addition of Clinoptilolite to the diet of lactating dairy cows on milk production and milk com-<span style="font: 12.0px Helvetica;">&nbsp;</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 8.0px Verdana;">position. Thirty-two lactating Holstein cows (average lactation length: 142 d) were blocked according to milk production,<span style="font: 12.0px Helvetica;">&nbsp;</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 8.0px Verdana;">parity, and days of lactation for assignment to one of two dietary treatments: control diet; control diet + Clinoptilolite,<span style="font: 12.0px Helvetica;">&nbsp;</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 8.0px Verdana;">200g/d. The control diet was based on corn and alfalfa silages, hay and concentrates, and did not contain aflatoxins above<span style="font: 12.0px Helvetica;">&nbsp;</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 8.0px Verdana;">the safe level. The experimental period lasted 76 days. The Clinoptilolite supplementation did not affect milk yield and<span style="font: 12.0px Helvetica;">&nbsp;</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 8.0px Verdana;">milk composition other than urea contents. The urea level in milk was negatively affected by Clinoptilolite addition (con-<span style="font: 12.0px Helvetica;">&nbsp;</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 8.0px Verdana;">trol group 29.7 mg/100 ml vs Clinoptilolite group 31.3 mg/100ml). The dietary addition of Clinoptilolite did not change<span style="font: 12.0px Helvetica;">&nbsp;</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 8.0px Verdana;">pH, ammonia content and VFA molar percentages in the rumen. No dietary effect on mineral contents of blood plasma<span style="font: 12.0px Helvetica;">&nbsp;</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 8.0px Verdana;">(Na, K, Zn, and Ca) was observed. In case of clinoptilolite use in dairy cattle feeding, scarce negative effect on milk pro-<span style="font: 12.0px Helvetica;">&nbsp;</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 8.0px Verdana;">duction and quality are expected.<span style="font: 12.0px Helvetica;">&nbsp;</span></p><div><span style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: 12px;"><br /></span></span></div>