Effects of Hippophae rhamnoides L. Leaf and Marc Extract with Reduced Tannin Concentration on the Health and Growth Parameters of Newborn Calves

Aim: To study the effects of orally administered mixture of Hippophae rhamnoides leaf and marc extracts (HLM) on health parameters of newborn calves.

Study Design: Starting from birth day 0 (D0) till day 15 (D15) the extract of HLM was given orally to newborn calves before feeding them milk at an increased dosage from 5 to 8 ml/calf/ two times a day for prophylaxis of nutritional diarrhoea. The calves were clinically examined and weighed. Biochemical and morphological analyses of blood were determined.

Place and Duration of Study: Clinical institute, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and the Institute of Horticulture at Latvia University of Agriculture, Jelgava, Latvia; within one year.

Methodology: HLM was prepared and chemically analysed.The control (C) and experimental (E) group - each consisted of 10 newborn calves. Clinical examination of calves was performed every day. Calves were weighed on D0, D15, D30, venous blood samples for biochemical and haematological analyses were collected on D1, D10, D15, D30. Data were analysed using software program SPSS 17.5.

Results: Tannin content decreased by 33.14% in HLM after addition of polyethylene glycol. In E, there was a better thermoregulation on D1. Diarrhoea incidence was fewer in E group (3 calves) than in C group (5 calves) and diarrhoea started later in E group (D6) compared to C group (D4). Daily weight gain on D0-D15 was significantly higher in E (473.1+/-35.0 g/day) than in C (386.6+/-36.9 g/day) (P= .05) and it correlated (r =- .625) with serum haptoglobin (Hpt) concentration. In E, Hpt significantly decreased on D10 and D15, compared with C. In E there was induced reduction of lymphocytes’ count in blood- on D30 it was 27.9±6.5 x109/μL (P< .01), lower than in C- 64±2.1 x109/μL.

Conclusion: HLM as feed additive can reduce diarrhoea incidences in calves, promote growth rate, reduce Hpt concentration and lymphocytes’ count in blood.