Investigating the addition of a herbal supplement containing tannin (from 3 different sources) on growth performance, health and safety status in Holstein suckling calves

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

1 Animal Science Department, Faculty of Agriculture, Lorestan University, Khorramabad, Iran

2 Animal Science Department,Faculty of Agriculture, Lorestan University, Khorramabad, Iran.

3 Animal Science Department, Faculty of Agriculture, Lorestan University, Khorramabad, Iran.

Abstract

This study aimed to evaluate the effects of tannin from three sources on functional characteristics, blood metabolites and health parameters of Holstein calves.  Thirty-six female Holstein calves were assigned to three experimental treatments : ( 1) control group 2) calves fed with tannin supplementation ( 50% oak kernel + 30% elm and 20% pomegranate peel) for 30 days daily 30 g and 3) calves they were fed tannin supplement for 30 days daily for 60 g) in a completely randomized design. All calves were weaned at 70 days of age. Feed efficiency,  daily weight gain and weaning weight were higher for calves treated with tannin supplementation compared to the control group (P<0.05), but treatments had no significant effect on the amount of dry matter intake. The highest daily weight gain was observed in the third treatment. withers height and hip height were higher in the third treatment compared to calves in the other two groups (P<0.05), but the other related traits with skeletal growth were not affected by experimental treatment. Stool scores, days of diarrhea and rectal temperature were affected by experimental treatments (P<0.05). Total white blood cell and neutrophil counts were significantly lower in calves receiving tannin supplementation. In general,  the use of a combination supplement of oak, pomegranate peel and elm improves the performance of calves resulting strengthening the immune system.

Keywords

Main Subjects

Extended Abstract

Introduction

    The use of unusual food sources in each region helps to produce livestock products. Some of these compounds, such as sources containing tannins with their antimicrobial role, can also reduce drug consume.

Material And methods:

This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of tannins from different products on functional characteristics, blood metabolites and health parameters of Holstein calves. For this purpose, 36 female Holstein calves were assigned to three experimental treatments (12 calves in each treatment) in a completely randomized design. Experimental treatments include: 1) control group 2) calves fed with tannin supplementation (consisting of 50% oak kernel + 30% elm and 20% pomegranate peel) for 30 days daily 30 gr and 3) calves they were fed tannin supplement for 30 days daily for 60 gr. Newborn calves up to 3 days old were fed with sufficient colostrum and then placed in solitary confinement. Milk was served to calves in 2 servings and the initial feed was the same for all treatments. The initial feed is recorded weekly. All calves were weaned at 70 days of age. weight measurement was measured every two weeks and skeletal growth and blood and health parameters were measured in three periods.

    The starting rations were adjusted using the tables of nutritional needs of dairy cows (National Research Association) section related to Holstein dairy calves and CNCPS software. Calves had free access to starter feed and fresh water throughout the experiment. Feed consumption by 2 buckets (a bucket containing fresh feed and a bucket containing waste feed) was checked once every 10 days during the experiment. If the initial feed bucket was empty earlier than the intake measurement time, it was filled again with fresh feed. Blood sampling was done 3 hours post-morning milk feeding (before weight lifting or any other stressful activity). For this purpose, the calves of each treatment were taken from the vein of Vadaj on the 3rd, 35th, and 70th days by vacuum tubes containing blood anticoagulant. In order to prepare serum immediately, the samples were centrifuged for 20 minutes at 2000 revolutions per minute. The isolated serum samples were kept at -20°C until further evaluations (including measurement of glucose, total protein, albumin and blood urea nitrogen). In order to count the total blood cells and the effect of weaning stress, 7 days before weaning from the calf of each treatment, blood samples were taken from the vein of Vadaj by vacuum tubes containing EDTA and immediately transferred to the laboratory and evaluated by an automatic measuring device. Calves were weighed upon entering the project, and after that, weighing was repeated once every 14 days at a specified hour (13±0.5 hours). Evaluation of stool consistency score was done according to the method of Khan et al (2007). The day when the calf had a stool score equal to or higher than 3 was recorded as the day of diarrhea. The evaluation of health score was done according to the method of Roth et al (2009). The present design was analyzed as a completely randomized design in the form of repeated measurements. Data analysis was done with the mixed procedure of SAS software version 1/9.

 

Result and discussion

    The results of this study showed that the use of supplements containing tannins had no significant effect on the amount of dry matter intake (P> 0.05). Daily weight gain and weaning weight were higher in calves taking tannin supplementation compared to the control group (P <0.05). The highest daily weight gain was observed in calves receiving 60 g of tannin supplementation per day. Feed efficiency was higher for calves treated with tannin supplementation compared to the control group (P <0.01). Clutch height and cap height were higher in calves receiving 60 g of supplement containing compared to calves in the other two groups (P <0.01), but other related traits with skeletal growth were not affected by experimental treatment. Stool scores, days of diarrhea and rectal temperature were affected by experimental treatments (P <0.05) and calves receiving tannin supplementation (30 and 60 g / day) had better conditions. Total protein and blood albumin in blood serum were higher in tannin supplementation groups but the difference was not statistically significant (P <0.05), but total white blood cell and neutrophil counts in blood serum were significantly lower in calves receiving Tannin supplementation (P <0.05).

Conclusions

In general, the results of this study showed that the use of a combination supplement of oak, pomegranate peel and elm for calves improves the performance of calves resulting strengthening the immune system and reducing disease.

 

Data Availability Statement

This article contains all the data that were created or evaluated during the resear

Acknowledgements

    The authors would like to sincerely thank the members of the Faculty of Animal Sciences, Isfahan University of Technology Research Council for the approval and support of this research.

Conflict of interest

The author declares no conflict of interest

References

منابع

کرامتی جبه‫دار، س.، میرزائی آقجه قشلاق، ف.، نویدشاد، ب.، مهدوی، ع و استاجی، ح. 1398. اثر تغذیه نشاسته مقاوم و عصاره حاوی ترکیبات فنولی پوسته پسته بر عملکرد، مصرف خوراک و فراسنجه‫های خونی گوساله‫های شیرخوار هلشتاین. تولیدات دامی. 10(2): 91-75.

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Iranian Journal of animal Science
Volume 57, Issue 1
April 2026
Pages 1-18

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History

  • Receive Date: 03 December 2024
  • Revise Date: 20 August 2025
  • Accept Date: 21 August 2025

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