Authors : D.A. Ural, O. Cengiz, K. Ural and Serpil Ozaydin
Abstract: Production of cow milk is under the influence of genetically and environmental factors. Milk yield may also be affected by diet quality. Natural zeolite has been elucidated as a feed supplement in livestock production. The present study was performed in an attempt to examine the effect of addition of clinoptilolite to the diet for lactating dairy cows on milk production. A total of 52 head lactating Holstein cows were randomly enrolled according to milk production for assignment to one of two dietary treatments; control diet (n = 26), control diet+clinoptilolite (n = 26). The control diet (group C) consisted corn silage, hay, sunflower meal, soybean meal and wheat bran. Experimental group II (group P) was fed rations involving control diet supplemented with 2% clinoptilolite. The experimental period lasted 120 days. The clinoptilolite supplementation significantly and apparently affect milk yield (p<0.01). The results obtained from the present study suggested that clinoptilolite supplementation may have positive influence on milk yield.
D.A. Ural, O. Cengiz, K. Ural and Serpil Ozaydin, 2013. Dietary Clinoptilolite Addition as a Factor for the Improvement of Milk Yield in Dairy Cows. Journal of Animal and Veterinary Advances, 12: 85-87.