Herbal additives improve milk processing

摘要

Herbal additives have aroused much scientific interest over the past few years. Most of the studies have been performed on extracts of herbs and used in feed for monogastrics and pre-ruminants. Polish scientists have recently discovered the potential of a mixture of four plants in dairy cow nutrition to improve the technological properties of milk for butter and cheese production. The trend away from using the once popular biological stimulants and plant drugs and towards synthetic drugs has increased rapidly since the end of the 19th century (Gornicka, 1992). In recent years, however, various environmental and consumer activities have stimulated a renewed search for naturally biologically active compounds that have preventive and curative effects(Steinegger and Hansel, 1988). Substances found in herbs, such as phenolic acids and their derivatives, furanocoumarins, alkaloids, lactones, polysac-charides and glycoproteins have similar action to steroidal ergotropics (Grela et al., 1998) while having no adverse side effects. In addition, herb supplements have stimulating and regulating effects on metabolic processes, reduce environmental stress and lend a pleasant flavour to feeds, making them highly palatable.