Organic selenium and vitamin E supplementation improves feed conversion efficiency in heat stressed dairy cows

摘要

With increases in the frequency, intensity and duration of heat waves forecast plus increased participation in tropical agriculture, HS is both a current and emerging problem. To control body temperature during HS, cows reduce metabolic heat production by lowering feed intake and increase energy expenditure to dissipate heat. This results in a net loss in production efficiency that is characterised by increased oxidative stress. With milk production trending towards intensive production systems feeding TMR rather than pasture, the aim of this experiment was to investigate the effects of anti-oxidant supplementation on milk production and oxidative stress in TMR fed dairy cows.