Effect of Malva sylverstris plant on milk quality and production, liver enzymes and nutrients digestibility of Khuzestani Buffalo

Metabolites of medicinal plants are used to improve energy efficiency in the rumen and animal productivity. Malva sylverstris is a plant whose cultivation yield in a quarterly period is estimated at 10 tons per hectare. Malva sylverstris leaves and flowers contain tannins, calcium oxalate, pectic substances and mucilage, anthocyanins, rich in vitamins, and due to the presence of vitamin C and flavonoids, many uses have been mentioned for this plant. In some studies, the use of herbs had an increasing effect on milk production performance. This experiment was conducted to investigate the effect of Malva sylverstris nutrition on milk production and composition, liver enzymes, nutrient digestibility, and blood biochemical parameters of dairy buffaloes.

Eight khuzestani dairy buffaloes, 4-5 parities, average weight 600±12 kg in the early lactation (forth months), average milk production 6 liter, were used. Buffaloes randomly fed with a diet without Malva sylverstris and diet containing 500 g Malva sylverstri/ dry matter plant for one month. Animals were kept in individual stables and adaption to the diet was performed for one week. Sufficient and clean water was provided to the buffaloes.At the end of the experiment, feed intake, nutrient digestibility, milk production, quality and microbial load of milk were measured. Buffalo blood parameters such as glucose, cholesterol and triglyceride, urea and liver enzymes were determined. The data were analyzed in a completely randomized design and the means were compared with the Tukey test at significance level of 5%.

The results showed that milk fat, protein, and lactose of milk did not change in the experimental treatments (P >0.05), but dry matter intake and milk production of buffaloes increased. According to the results, the milk microbial load of buffaloes fed Malva sylverstris decreased (P <0.05). Blood glucose, cholesterol, and triglyceride levels in the Malva sylverstris treatment were lower than the control treatment (P <0.05). Blood urea and liver enzymes were not affected by the treatments (P >0.05). Nutrient digestibility like dry matter, crud protein, and nautral detergent fiber in buffaloes fed Malva sylverstris increased (P <0.05).

According to the result of the present study, the use of Malva sylverstris plant in the diet of dairy buffaloes not only did not have negative effects on the production performance of dairy buffaloes but also increased milk production and reduced the microbial load of milk, therefore it can be used as an appropriate supplement in the dairy buffaloes.