Abstract:
This study aimed to evaluate the effects of encapsulated pepper (PEN) supplementation on productive performance and physiological parameters in dairy cows during the prepartum period and early lactation. A total of 32 Holstein × Gyr crossbred cows were used, divided into two prepartum groups: the Control group (n = 16), with 525 ± 30 kg of body weight (BW), body condition score (BCS) = 3.61 ± 0.3; and the PEN group (n = 16), with 528 ± 49 kg of BW, BCS = 3.72 ± 0.25. All animals were pregnant and allocated in a completely randomized design. The cows were kept in Brachiaria grass (Brachiaria decumbens) paddocks and supplemented with concentrate to receive one of the following treatments: 1) CON, control diet without PEN; 2) PEN, encapsulated pepper (NutriQuest, Campinas, Brazil, 1000 mg/cow/day). There was a week-by-week effect for milk yield (P = 0.001), 3.5% fat-corrected milk yield (FCM, 3.5%) (P = 0.011), and energy-corrected milk (ECM) (P = 0.037). Protein yield at 14 days and lactose yield at 14 and 21 days were higher in cows supplemented with PEN compared to the control group (P < 0.05). Rectal temperature was higher at -14 and -7 days and lower at 7, 14, and 21 days postpartum in cows supplemented with PEN (P < 0.05). Blood glucose levels were higher at -7 and 7 days than at calving in animals receiving PEN (P < 0.05). Supplementation with PEN during the transition period showed potential to mitigate negative energy balance in dairy cows. Despite the promising results, further studies are needed to confirm these effects and understand their mechanisms of action.
