Influence of antioxidant and immunostimulant nutrients on antioxidative status and mammary gland health of dairy cows and ewes

The demands for achieving the highest production in dairy cows and ewes require increased care for their health and physiological needs. Failure to meet the hygienic and dietary requirements during different phases of lactation in production farms leads to an increased incidence of mammary gland inflammations - mastitis, a decrease in milk yield and quality, as well as impaired reproductive indicators, negatively affecting the overall performance of the herd. Globally, mammary gland infections contribute to economic losses of up to 30%, with the estimated cost of treating clinical mastitis averaging around €140 - €180 per head. A significant number of breeders try to eliminate mastitis occurrence by treating affected individuals within the herd. However, the effectiveness of established anti-mastitis methods has been limited due to the complex and multifactorial nature of this disease. The presented project is based on the requirements derived from the daily management of productive dairy and sheep farms, with a focus on gaining new insights through the implementation of diagnostic methods for direct and indirect determination of mammary gland inflammation symptoms, the etiology of the most frequent types of environmental bacteria in ruminant herds, and the improvement of the health status of productive animals through the support of the immune system using oral and parenteral supplementation of selected antioxidant nutrients and organic additives.