CALCIUM SALTS OF FATTY-ACIDS (ENERGOL) IN FEED RATION FOR COWS AFTER PARTURITION AS A SOURCE OF INCREASED ENERGY ADDITION AND THEIR EFFECT ON SOME CHARACTERISTICS OF METABOLISM, REPRODUCTION AND MILK-PRODUCTION

The objective of this paper was to test the effect of addition of the energy of calcium salts of fatty acids with long chain (C-16 - C18) pr oduced wider the mark Energol to feed rations for cows after parturiti on. A trial was conducted with 20 cows divided into control and experi mental group with ten cows each; the experimental cows received a supp lemental feed mix (DOPS) with 15 % Energol at a dose of 0.5 kg per pro duction of 1.01 milk in the first 240 days of lactation (if the perfor mance was higher than 13.01 a day). Depending upon the daily milk yiel d (Tab. I), Energol intake (Tab. II) varied from 0.53 to 0.88 kg per h ead per day in the first 120 days of the trial while it increased the energy value of the feed mix by 7.3 to 10.3 %. In the subsequent perio d (until 240th day of lactation) Energol intake was decreasing to an a mount of 0.29 kg per head per day (Tab. II). The control cows received the same diet, but their DOPS contained the same portion of wheat mea l instead of Energol. The starch value of DOPS contained the same port ion of wheat meal instead of Energol. The starch value of DOPS with 15 % Energol was 83.1 at 10.8 % digestible crude protein (SNL) while the starch value of DOPS without Energol was 68.8 at 12.4 % SNL. Differen ces in metabolic profiles were demonstrated in eight control and eight experimental cows in the course of the trial (Tab. III) when their bl ood (plasma) was analyzed. In comparison with the control cows, the co ws of the experimental group tended to have the statistically higher ( P < 0.01), biochemically determined levels of cholesterol, total lipid s and triglycerides, sometimes the significantly higher bilirubin leve ls and the lower content of total ketone bodies and their particular f ractions, i. e. acetone + acetoacetic acid and beta hydroxybutyric aci d in the blood. There were not any significant differences in glucose concentrations in the blood nor in the AST activity of blood plasma (T ab. III). The biological half-life of 100 mg i.v. administered progest erone in the liver of the cows of experimental group around the 36th d ay after parturition (the cows were in the 3rd to 7th week of lactatio n) was 15.7 +/- 1.75 minutes, and 21.4 +/- 5.78 minutes in the control . The live weight of control cows decreased on average by 13.9 kg on d ay 60 in comparison with day 7, and it was still lower by 13.0 kg 100 days after parturition; the live weight increased by 2.8 kg on day 60 and by 9.8 kg m day 100 in the experimental group. The calving interva l of these cows was on average by 5.0 days longer while the inseminati on index made 1.2 in the cows of the experimental group (1.7 in the co ntrol - Tab. IV) and the service period was by 8.3 days shorter agains t the control cows. The conception rate after the first insemination w as 80 % in the experimental group of cows, and 50 % in the control gro up. The results of the trial (increase in milk production, tendency to better reproductive figures, demonstrated antiketogenic effect) justi fy the use of Energol in feed ration for the cows in the initial phase of lactation. But in the subsequent period (at declining lactation cu rve) the increasing levels of cholesterol, total lipids and triglyceri des in the blood plasma of dairy cows receiving Energol indicate its s urplus intake.