The Effects of Ascorbic Acid and Salicylate on Milk Composition and Production, Blood Parameters and Inflammatory Responses Following Foot and Mouth Diseases Vaccination in Dairy Cows

Dairy cows are exposed to various stresses such as parturition, lactation and oxidative stress during the transition period. Controlling these stresses and other stresses such as treatment and vaccination could help to improve the health and persistency of milk production. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of ascorbic acid and salicylate on animal health and milk production in transition period as well as alleviating inflammatory responses induced by postpartum vaccinations. Forty-four Holsteins fresh cows were randomly assigned to 4 experimental groups (n = 11) in a randomized complete design and experiment continued for 30 days. Treatments groups were as follows: 1) control (with basal diet) 2) basal diet + 30 g/day ascorbic acid, 3) basal diet + 10 g/day salicylic acid and 4) basal diet + 30 g/day ascorbic acid + 10 g/day salicylate. Results showed that feeding of salicylate increased milk production (p < 0.05). Dietary supplementation of ascorbic acid increased milk fat percentage (p < 0.05) but had no effect on milk production. The highest concentration of glucose was noted in cows fed by ascorbic acid, and the lowest concentration of blood urea nitrogen was observed in cows fed by ascorbic acid + salicylate (P <0.05). Dietary inclusion of salicylate, ascorbate or the combination of salicylate and ascorbate decreased concentrations of haptoglobin and serum amyloid-A in cows vaccinated against FMD, whereas TNFα was decreased just in cows fed by salicylate and salicylate + ascorbate as compared to the control group (P <0.05). Generally, it could be concluded that supplementation of ascorbic acid and salicylate in early lactating cows could improve production and health status and reduce inflammatory responses of postpartum vaccinations.