Table 5.
Effects of melatonin on the DHI in cows with high SCS during different ages.
| Items | Treatment | Two | Three | Four | Five | Six | Seven |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Somatic cell score | Before MT | 5.3 ± 0.27 cα | 5.7 ± 0.15 abcα | 5.9 ± 0.17 aα | 5.5 ± 0.18 bcα | 5.6 ± 0.26 abc | 5.9 ± 0.20 aα |
| After MT | 3.9 ± 0.33 dβ | 4.3 ± 0.18 cdβ | 4.7 ± 0.18 bβ | 4.0 ± 0.19 cdβ | 5.2 ± 0.27 a | 5.0 ± 0.29 abβ | |
| milk yield (kg/d) | Before MT | 32.1 ± 0.95 b | 31.7 ± 1.04 b | 30.9 ± 1.19 b | 35.0 ± 1.54 a | 33.7 ± 2.45 ab | 33.5 ± 1.73 ab |
| After MT | 32.1 ± 1.63 ab | 32.1 ± 0.96 ab | 30.0 ± 1.22 b | 33.6 ± 1.52 ab | 35.2 ± 2.67 a | 30.3 ± 2.08 b | |
| Protein (%) | Before MT | 3.4 ± 0.07 b | 3.4 ± 0.04 b | 3.6 ± 0.06 a | 3.4 ± 0.06 b | 3.4 ± 0.07 b | 3.2 ± 0.06 c |
| After MT | 3.4 ± 0.09 b | 3.4 ± 0.04 b | 3.7 ± 0.06 a | 3.6 ± 0.07 a | 3.4 ± 0.07 b | 3.3 ± 0.07 b | |
| Lactose (%) | Before MT | 5.2 ± 0.04 a | 5.0 ± 0.03 bα | 4.8 ± 0.04 cα | 4.8 ± 0.04 c | 4.9 ± 0.05 bc | 4.9 ± 0.06 bc |
| After MT | 5.2 ± 0.03 a | 5.0 ± 0.02 bcβ | 4.9 ± 0.03 cβ | 4.9 ± 0.05 c | 4.9 ± 0.06 b | 4.9 ± 0.06 b | |
| Fat (%) | Before MT | 4.7 ± 0.24 ab | 4.7 ± 0.12 bα | 5.0 ± 0.16 a | 4.8 ± 0.14 ab | 5.1 ± 0.18 a | 5.2 ± 0.37 a |
| After MT | 4.5 ± 0.26 bc | 4.4 ± 0.11 cβ | 4.7 ± 0.13 b | 4.6 ± 0.16 bc | 5.3 ± 0.21 a | 4.7 ± 0.37 abc | |
| dry matter(%) | Before MT | 13.9 ± 0.22 ab | 13.8 ± 0.12 b | 14.2 ± 0.17 a | 13.8 ± 0.17 b | 14.1 ± 0.20 ab | 13.8 ± 0.36 b |
| After MT | 13.9 ± 0.27 ab | 13.6 ± 0.13 b | 14.2 ± 0.15 a | 13.9 ± 0.18 ab | 14.1 ± 0.24 a | 13.5 ± 0.32 b | |
| urea nitrogen (mg/dL) |
Before MT | 12.8 ± 0.90 c | 14.1 ± 0.53 b | 14.3 ± 0.61 ab | 15.0 ± 0.52 ab | 15.4 ± 0.90 ab | 16.5 ± 1.64 a |
| After MT | 13.9 ± 0.80 bc | 13.6 ± 0.46 bc | 13.3 ± 0.49 c | 14.1 ± 0.59 bc | 15.8 ± 0.94 a | 15.1 ± 1.34 ab |
All the data are represented by the mean ± standard error (2 years old: n = 23, 3 years old: n = 80, 4 years old: n = 66, 5 years old: n = 56, 6 years old: n = 27 and 7 years old: n = 19). In the same rows, different letters represent a significance (p < 0.05). In the same columns, different Greek letters (α and β) represent a significance (p < 0.05).