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Effect of bromelain on milk yield, milk composition and mammary health in dairy goats

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Abstract

A 7 month prospective cohort study was designed to determine if feeding bromelain to dairy goats influenced the MSCC, milk yield, milk composition and the incidence of IMI. Forty-four clinically normal goats from 2nd to 6th parities were studied. Daily bromelain dosage was 7.4 grams/animal (185-mg/Kg weight). Samples for diagnostic bacteriology were collected from each udder half every 2 weeks. Samples for MSCC and composition were obtained every 42 days. Milk yield was also recorded every 42 days. Bromelain affected milk protein and fat but not MSCC, milk yield or milk lactose. Bromelain did not decrease the MSCC in healthy goats. Milk protein and fat increased in the bromelain treated group (P < 0.01), which is important for dairymen because premiums are paid milk fat and protein content. No clinical mastitis was detected in the goats for the total study period and incidence rate of subclinical IMI was 5.7%. Relative risk was 1.50 (0.28 < RR < 8.12) which means that the bromelain had no significant effect on IMI (P > 0.05). In addition, the use of pineapple by-products could be especially important in tropical countries were pineapple waste seems to be a pollution problem.

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Abbreviations

IMI:

intramammary infection

MSCC:

Milk somatic cell counts

RR:

relative risk

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Acknowledgements

The first author wishes to thank the Fundación Seneca for financial help during his stay at the USDA Beltsville Research Center. We acknowledge project CAL-00-046-C3-01 for financial resources. We thank Ajinomoto Co. Inc, Tokyo, Japan for supplying the bromelain. Authors thank Dr. Carlos Fernández Martínez for analyses of the ingredients and chemical composition of diet.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Departamento de Sanidad Animal, Facultad de Veterinaria, Universidad de Murcia, 30071, Murcia, Spain

    A. Contreras, J. C. Corrales, C. Luengo & A. Sánchez

  2. Bovine Functional Genomics Laboratory, USDA-ARS, Beltsville, MD, 20705, USA

    M. J. Paape & R. H. Miller

Authors
  1. A. Contreras
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  2. M. J. Paape
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  3. R. H. Miller
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  4. J. C. Corrales
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  5. C. Luengo
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  6. A. Sánchez
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Correspondence to A. Contreras.

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Contreras, A., Paape, M.J., Miller, R.H. et al. Effect of bromelain on milk yield, milk composition and mammary health in dairy goats. Trop Anim Health Prod 41, 493–498 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11250-008-9213-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11250-008-9213-7

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