The Effect of Saponaria officinalis Root Supplementation During the Dry Period on Blood Biochemical Parameters in Cows and Calves and the Biological Quality of Colostrum and Milk

The purpose of this study was to assess the effect of dietary Saponaria officinalis inclusion in the diet of dairy cows during the dry period on colostrum and milk quality, focusing specifically on the somatic cell count (SCC), the physicochemical composition and fatty acid (FA) profile. The effect of the addition on various biochemical parameters was evaluated in the serum of cows and their calves. This study was conducted on Ukrainian Black and White cattle. Twenty-four cows were selected from the herd twenty-one days prior to their expected calving date. They were allocated into three groups of eight cows each (n = 8) and began to be fed soapwort, as outlined below. Group C was fed a conventional TMR diet (0 g/cow per day); Group E1—TMR and 20 g of dry soapwort root powder per cow per day; and Group E2—50 g of dry soapwort root powder per cow per day. Blood samples were collected from the cows 21 d before labour and on the day of calving, and from calves on day 3, in week 2, and in week 6. Biochemical profiles of the liver, lipids, and kidneys were evaluated in the collected samples. Colostrum was collected from the cows two hours after calving during the initial complete milking, and milk was collected in the eighth week of lactation. The fundamental composition, SCC, and FA profiles were assessed in colostrum and milk. Higher protein levels were found in the serum of calves in the second week of life in groups E1 (p < 0.01) and E2 (p < 0.05) compared to group C. In calves, serum ALT levels were higher in group C than in groups E1 and E2 at 2 and 6 weeks of age (p < 0.05). The addition did not affect the biochemical profiles of lipids, liver, or kidneys in cows. The SCC in the colostrum was higher in group E2 than in group C (p < 0.05). A decrease (p < 0.01) in SCC was noted in the milk of groups E2 and E3 compared to the control group. In the colostrum of cows in group E2, an increase in UFA levels was observed, including beneficial acids, such as C18:2n6c, C22:6n3, and conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), while trans isomers decreased. The results suggest that Saponaria officinalis can be used as a supplement in the feeding of cows during the dry period to improve colostrum quality and also support the physiological development of calves and the health of the cows’ mammary glands.