Effect of natural zeolite on biochemical and hematological parameters in blood, body mass and growth of calves

Abstract

The work presents the results of investigations of the effect of natural zeolite (clinoptilolite type) on the degree of resumption of cloistral immunoglobulin, the value of hematological parameters and enzyme activity in blood serum (AST, ALT, and LDH), body mass, and daily growth of calves in the first three months of life. Investigations were carried out on three groups of 10 male and female calves each, with a 1:1 ratio of sexes, (control, K, and two experimental groups, I and II), of the black-and-white breed, Holstein type. All three groups of calves were fed with the usual rations (colostrum, collective cows' milk, fodder mix with 18% total proteins, and Lucerne hay).The experimental groups of calves, as opposed to the controls, received colostrums and collective cows' milk with the addition of a preparation based on natural zeolite in quantities of 5 and 10 g/l milk. The concentration of immunoglobulin G in blood serum of experimental groups of calves was significantly higher than the values of the control group (35.9?6.43 g/l in Group I; 32.5?7.39 g/l in Group II; 20.8?6.88 g/l in control group K). The results of the investigations of the values of hematological parameters (number of erythrocytes, hemoglobin concentration, and hematocrit value) do not show any digressions from the physiological values and are approximately the same in the experimental and the control groups of calves, which indicates that the examined quality of the zeolite-based preparation did not affect the degree of the resumption of iron and other oligoelements significant for erythropoietin. The data on the enzyme activity in blood serum indicate that the examined preparation does not cause any significant functional or morphological changes in the tissue of parenchymatous organs or muscles. There were no significant disorders in the health of calves of the experimental groups, while 3 calves of the control group had gastrointestinal disorders (diarrhea). Calves of experimental group I which received colostrum and collective cows' milk with an addition of 5g zeolite/l milk had a significantly greater average body mass and daily growth on the 90th day of life than calves of the control group (116.0-6.9: 105.3-6.4 kg, and 0.868:0.743 g). The addition of natural zeolite in quantities of 5 g/l colostrum or milk yields better results and has an advantage over the higher doze of zeolite of 10 g/l.