EFFECTS OF USING VOLCANIC TUFF IN COWS DIETS ON THE NUTRITIONAL QUALITY OF MILK

Margareta Olteanu, Mihaela Saracila, Mariana Ropota, Raluca Paula Turcu, Rodica Diana Criste, D. Dragatoiu,
Elena Narcisa Pogurschi, Monica Paula Marin

Abstract
    Natural and synthetic zeolites are widely used in animal nutrition as performance promoters, and their use also exerts a variety of favourable effects on the prevention or treatment of certain animal diseases in the farm. Natural zeolites provide the necessary macro and trace elements for animals, and stimulate their health and production (Quote Garcia- Lopez et al., 1992; Nikkhah et al., 2001; Sadeghia si Shawrangb, 2008; Dschaak et al., 2010; Deniz Alic Ural, 2014; Panagiotis et al., 2016). Thus the present paper has proposed the characterization of tuff in terms of its nutrient content and the study of the effects of its use in cows feeding on milk quality. Tuff has 90.49g% dry matter, 1.63g% calcium, 0.09g% phosphorus, 1793.18ppm iron. The raw ingredients used in the diets of dairy cows were: a mixture of barley and corn with a content of 87.52g% of dry matter, 9.61g% crude protein, 1.39g% ether extractives; corn cob + beans with 39.21% dry matter, 3.68g% crude protein, 1.36g% ether extractives; corn silage with a content of 28.71 g% dry matter, 1.47 g% crude protein, 0.54 g% ether extractives, and alfalfa hay with 88.87 g% dry matter, 17.23 g% crude protein, 0.92 g% ether extractives. Cow's milk had 13.51g% dry matter, 2.62 g% protein, 0.11g% calcium, 0.08g% phosphorus, 1.63 ppm iron.

Key words: tuff, dairy cows, milk quality, minerals