Inclusion of Curcumin in the Diet of Prepartum Cows and Its Effects on Animal Health and Production

This study aimed to evaluate whether adding curcumin to prepartum cows’ diets positively affects metabolism, immune response, milk and colostrum production and quality. Forty Holstein cows were divided into two homogeneous groups, with 20 animals per treatment, balanced according to milk production (kg/day) during the previous lactation and parity. The experiment was conducted in a continuous trial, with each groups of animals randomly assigned to one of the treatments: (a) addition of curcumin to the diet (152 mg/day) in the prepartum period; (b) without additive, used as control. The study was carried out on a commercial farm in a compost barn confinement system. Cows were fed with curcumin only during the 21-day prepartum period. Postpartum monitoring, data collection, and sampling were conducted for 28 days without curcumin. After calving, the animals had access to free-flow robotic milking. The variables colostrum production and quality were evaluated, followed by milk analysis. Blood parameters for biochemical, proteinogram and antioxidant analyses were collected at strategic periods of the experiment. We found that the prepartum treatment had no effect on the milk production, composition and physicochemical properties (p > 0.05). The serum concentrations of beta-hydroxybutyrate (BHBA), albumin, AST, ALT and GGT of the cows were not affected by the treatments, while the globulin levels were higher in the curcumin group on the seventh day postpartum (p = 0.05). The addition of curcumin caused immunomodulation on globulins, where higher serum concentrations of IgA, Ig heavy chain, haptoglobin and transferrin (p ≤ 0.001) were observed, as well as lower serum levels of C-reactive protein and ceruloplasmin (p ≤ 0.0002). The serum and colostrum oxidant/antioxidant profile did not show any difference when curcumin was used prepartum, nor did the colostrum brix concentration. It was concluded that curcumin supplementation increased serum globulin levels, improving the immune response. Although the curcumin diet was offered only in the prepartum period, there was a positive impact on the immune response of cows for up to seven days postpartum, the most critical moment in dairy cattle farming.