Journal of Advances in Biology & Biotechnology

The present study was conducted to evaluate the effect of feeding bypass fat, bypass protein and β-carotene along with the routine daily diet of Sahiwal cattle during advanced pregnancy and the postpartum period. Sixteen pregnant Sahiwal cattle maintained at the Instructional Dairy Farm (IDF) of G.B. Pant University of Agriculture and Technology were divided into two groups, i.e., control (n=08) and treatment (n=08). The experimental diet consisted of bypass fat @ 100 g/animal/day, bypass protein @ 200 g/animal/day and β-carotene @ 300 mg/animal/day along with the basal diet. The experiment commenced 10-15 days before the expected date of calving (as per the AI records maintained at IDF) and continued on day ‘0’, i.e., the day of calving, and on days 10, 20, 30, 40, 50 and 60 postpartum. Serum biochemical parameters were analysed using a semi-automated biochemical analyser. Data were analysed by two-way ANOVA with group and sampling day as factors. A significant (p<0.05) difference in total protein was observed between the groups from the 20th day postpartum (6.74± 0.13 vs 7.18 ± 0.03 g/dl), and a significant difference was also observed within the treatment group. Serum glucose levels attained a peak on the day of calving (68.09 ± 0.97 (control) & 70.61 ± 0.63 (treatment) mg/dl), irrespective of the groups. The mean cholesterol level decreased at the time of calving, with no significant difference (p>0.05) between the groups, and no significant difference (p>0.05) was observed in the control group during the pre- and postpartum periods. No significant (p>0.05) differences in SGOT, SGPT or BUN were observed within or between the groups; however, the mean BUN level was slightly lower in the treatment group than in the control group. Overall, peripartum supplementation with bypass fat, bypass protein and β-carotene improved the energy and protein status of Sahiwal cows without adverse effects on liver or kidney function markers and may be used to support cows during the transition period. This suggests that bypass fat, bypass protein and β-carotene can be safely incorporated into the basal diet of cattle during the periparturient period without adverse effects on metabolic status; instead, this nutritional approach supported the nutritional and metabolic status of the animals during the transition period. Further studies with larger sample sizes and longer follow-up periods are required to validate these findings and assess the potential effects of this nutritional supplementation on the reproductive and productive performance of Sahiwal cattle.