Effect of anionic Mishran feed supplementation during the transition period on calving performance, postpartum health and milk production in Pluriparous dairy cows

The transition period is a critical phase in dairy cows, characterized by substantial changes in nutrient intake, mineral metabolism and endocrine function, with increased calcium demand at calving predisposing animals to hypocalcaemia and associated postpartum disorders. This study evaluated the effects of Anionic Mishran supplementation during the prepartum transition period on placental expulsion, calf performance, postpartum health, milk fever incidence and milk yield in Pluriparous dairy cows. Twelve cows were randomly allocated to treatment and control groups (n=6 each). The treatment group received Anionic Mishran during the prepartum period, while controls received the basal diet. Placental expulsion time, calf birth and weaning weights, metritis/pyometra, downer cow/milk fever incidence and daily milk yield were recorded. Anionic Mishran supplementation significantly reduced placental expulsion time from 6.93±0.22 to 4.63±0.33 h (P< 0.001) and increased daily milk yield from 8.64±0.11 to 9.64±0.16 L/day (P< 0.001). Calf birth and weaning weights did not differ significantly between groups. Metritis/pyometra and downer cow/milk fever incidence were numerically lower in the supplemented group, although differences were not statistically significant. Overall, prepartum Anionic Mishran supplementation showed beneficial effects on placental expulsion and early lactation yield, indicating its potential as a nutritional strategy for improving transition-period management in Pluriparous dairy cows. Larger studies are warranted to validate its effects on postpartum health and reproductive performance.

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Introduction

The transition period, extending from late gestation through the early postpartum period, is one of the most metabolically demanding phases of the dairy cow's production cycle. During this period, cows undergo marked changes in feed intake, energy balance, mineral metabolism and physiological adaptation to lactation. Among the minerals, calcium is particularly important at parturition because the initiation of colostrum and milk secretion results in a sudden incr in calcium requirement. Failure to maintain calcium homeostasis can result in clinical or subclinical hypocalcaemia. This condition can compromise muscular function and is associated with several postpartum health problems. Manipulation of prepartum dietary cation-anion difference has therefore become an important nutritional approach for transition-cow management. Lowering dietary DCAD produces a mild metabolic acidosis that enhances the physiological mechanisms involved in calcium homeostasis. A large meta-analysis involving 42 experiments and 1,803 cows reported that reducing prepartum DCAD improved blood calcium around calving and reduced the risk of milk fever, retained placenta and metritis. Importantly, the response in milk production was more favourable in parous cows, which directly supports the rationale for evaluating this strategy in pluriparous animals (Santos et al., 2019). [7] More recent experimental evidence continues to support the physiological effect of negative-DCAD diets. Connelly et al. (2024) [1] demonstrated in multiparous cows that prepartum DCAD manipulation altered calcium dynamics around parturition. Similarly, Frizzarini et al.

(2024a) [3] reported that a negative-DCAD diet influenced peripartal mineral and hormonal responses, while Frizzarini et al. (2024b) [2] evaluated effects on feed intake, energy metabolism and milk performance. Recent work comparing anionic supplements also showed that negative-DCAD diets significantly lowered urinary pH, demonstrating their acidogenic effect, although effects on feed intake and production varied according to the formulation and dietary conditions (Rajaeerad et al., 2023) [6] . Therefore, the present study was undertaken to evaluate the effect of Anionic Mishran, an anionic feed supplement, during the transition period on calving performance, calf growth, postpartum reproductive health, milk fever incidence and milk production in pluriparous dairy cows.

Objectives Primary objective

To evaluate the effect of Anionic Mishran supplementation during the transition period on calving performance and early lactation yield in pluriparous dairy cows.

Secondary objectives 1. To assess the effect on placental expulsion time. 2. To assess calf birth weight. 3. To evaluate calf weaning weight. 4. To determine the incidence of metritis/pyometra. 5. To determine the incidence of downer cow/milk fever. 6. To assess daily lactation yield. 7. To evaluate the practical applicability of Anionic Mishran as a transition-cow nutritional intervention.

Experimental Design Animals

Experimental Design Animals

Study period

The intervention should be described precisely according to your actual protocol. Based on your previous study description, you can write: Anionic Mishran supplementation was initiated during the prepartum transition period and continued according to the prescribed feeding schedule until calving. [7,1] . However, the present study did not directly measure blood calcium or urinary pH, so this proposed mechanism should be regarded as biologically plausible rather than directly demonstrated. [7] . More recent work in multiparous Holstein cows has continued to evaluate the relationship between prepartum DCAD strategy, calcium status and milk production (Graef et al., 2025; Frizzarini et al., 2024b) [4,2] . Recent experimental work also demonstrates that the response to prepartum anionic diets can involve changes in mineral metabolism and physiological adaptation around the onset of lactation.

Results Interpretation

Results Interpretation

Calf Birth Weight

Calf Birth Weight

Metritis/Pyometra

Treatment:0/6 = 0% Control:2/6 = 33.3% Reported P = 0.211 Metritis/pyometra incidence was numerically lower in the treatment group (0%) than in the control group (33.3%), although the difference was not statistically significant (P = 0.211)

Downer Cow/Milk Fever

Treatment: 0/6 = 0% Control: 2/6 = 33.3% Reported P = 0.211 The incidence of downer cow/milk fever was numerically lower in the Anionic Mishran group (0%) compared with the control group (33.3%), but the difference was not statistically significant (P = 0.211).

Biological significance

Although statistically non-significant, the complete absence of observed cases in the treatment group is potentially interesting. The finding is directionally consistent with evidence that reducing prepartum DCAD improves calcium status and reduces milk-fever risk, particularly in parous cows (Santos et al., 2019) [7] . Recent research also confirms that periparturient calcium dynamics are associated with postpartum health and inflammatory status in multiparous cows (Graef et al., 2025b) [5] .

Effect on placental expulsion

Anionic Mishran → altered DCAD → acid-base adaptation → improved Ca homeostasis → improved uterine contractility → faster placental expulsion Your result should then be compared with studies reporting reduced retained placenta with lower prepartum DCAD. The meta-analysis by Santos et al. (2019) [7] reported a reduction in retained placenta and metritis with decreasing prepartum DCAD, supporting the biological plausibility of the present observation. Nevertheless, because the present study did not directly measure calcium status, uterine contractility or retained placenta incidence, the proposed mechanism should be discussed cautiously.

Effect on calf growth

Explain that the supplement was targeted primarily at the dam's mineral and acid-base adaptation, and the absence of differences in birth and weaning weights suggests no adverse effect on calf growth.

Effect on milk yield 9.64 vs 8.64 L/day can be discussed alongside the meta-analysis showing improved milk production in parous cows receiving lower prepartum DCAD diets (Santos et al., 2019) [7] . Recent experimental studies in multiparous cows also indicate that prepartum DCAD strategy can influence calcium status and milk production, although responses may depend on the degree of acidification and dietary calcium supply (Frizzarini et al., 2024b; Graef et al., 2025a) [2,4] . Recent work also emphasizes that the effects of anionic diets are not simply attributable to one factor; changes in mineral metabolism, acid-base status, feed intake and metabolic adaptation may collectively influence postpartum performance (Frizzarini et al., 2024a, 2024b; Graef et al., 2025a) [3,2,4] .

Effect on metritis/pyometra

Discuss the 0 vs 33.3% numerical difference cautiously. The literature supports a possible connection between improved calcium homeostasis and reduced postpartum disease risk, but your sample size prevents a strong statistical conclusion.

Effect on milk fever/downer cow 0% vs 33.3% but statistically non-significant. A larger study is needed.

Key Limitation

The major limitation of the present study was the small sample size (n = 6 per group), which may have limited the statistical power to detect differences in low-frequency postpartum disorders."

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