Effect of essential oils and prebiotic on serum biochemical parameters of crossbred lactating cattle

This study investigated the effects of dietary supplementation with peppermint oil, lemon grass oil and mannan oligosaccharides (MOS) on various biochemical parameters in lactating dairy cattle over a period of 90 days.Total 30 animals were randomly distributed into five treatment groups, i.e., control (T0) fed with basal diet, T1 group supplemented concentrate with 0.1% peppermint oil, T2 group with 0.1% lemongrass oil, T3 group with mannanoligosaccharide (MOS) @12 g /day /cattle and T4 group was provided a combination of 0.05% of each oil and 6 g MOS.Serum biochemical parameters were studied at 0, 30, 60 and 90 days of trial.Key findings indicate that EO supplementation significantly (p<0.05) lowered serum urea levels in T4 group at 30 days, in T2 and T4 groups at 60 days, and in all treatment groups at 90 days.Moreover, significant (p<0.05)reductions in aspartate transaminase (AST) and alanine transaminase (ALT) were noted in treatment groups, especially pronounced at 90 days, highlighting a hepatoprotective effect attributed to the bioactive components in EOs and MOS.The other parameters like glucose, protein profile and triglycerides did not vary significantly among treatment groups.Overall, the results revealed the beneficial role of EO and MOS supplementation in improving liver function and protein utilization in ruminants, suggesting a viable dietary strategy to enhance animal health and efficiency of nutrient use without negative side effects.