The effect of Echinacea purpurea on the immunological function of the mammary gland of cows during the perinatal period

Abstract

The experiment was conducted on two groups of Black-and-White cows (10 animals per group) during the perinatal period. Cows in the experimental group received a ration with 300 g/d/animal of whole-plant coneflower ( Echinacea purpurea) meal for 3 weeks from the 10th day before the expected calving. Whole coneflower meal contained 1.26% of a biologically active substance-coffeic acid. Milk samples were collected three times a day to determine somatic cell count, and colostrum for determination of the lactoimmunoglobulin (a, á) level. Blood samples from calves and cows were collected to determine the immunoglobulin (a, á, .) content. Statistically significant differences (P=0.01) were found only in the content of .-immunoglobulins in cows from the experimental group after three weeks of coneflower administration. Differences in somatic cell count between the groups in successive samplings of milk were not significant (P>0.05).