Assessment of the milk produced by mastitis-affected cows using an extruded feed supplement containing phytogenics

Background and Aim. For farmers and dairy producers, producing safe and high-quality milk is a top priority. Despite the enormous number of animals, there are several causes for low milk yield, such as the prevalence of livestock-borne diseases, widespread livestock farming techniques, and a low realization of the genetic potential of animals. Mastitis is a common infectious condition in dairy production that is the primary source of antibiotic residues in milk and has a substantial financial impact. The study aimed to investigate the effects of an extruded polyfunctional feed supplement called «BioFeed-P» which contains bitter wormwood extract on the physico-chemical and organoleptic characteristics of mastitic cow milk. Materials and Methods. The research material included samples of cow's milk and feed additives made of extruded components that were created by barothermal treatment of grain forage, specifically barley, and oats, with the addition of the extruded BioFeed-P additive and wormwood bitter extract. The additive was created and manufactured at the NCJSC «S.Seifullin Kazakh Agrotechnical Research University» in the manufacturing and testing workshop of «NFT-KATU» LLP. Standard organoleptic and physicochemical techniques were used to study milk. Results. It was demonstrated that feed additives improved the physicochemical characteristics of milk. There was a 3.1% increase in protein content and a 10% increase in milk fat content. Following the application of extruded additives with phytogenics, a 68% reduction in the number of somatic cells in the milk of mastitis-affected cows was noted. Conclusion. When combined with bitter wormwood extract, the extruded BioFeed-P additive improves physicochemical parameters and dramatically lowers the number of somatic cells in milk from mastitis-affected cows.