Effects of verbascoside on plasma oxidative status and blood and milk production parameters during the peripartum period in Lacaune ewes

This study examined the effect of administration of verbascoside on plasma oxidative status and on specific blood and milk production parameters in Lacaune ewes during the peripartum period. The trial, lasting 60 d, ran from 20 d before lambing until 40 d after and was conducted on 40 ewes in their 5th month of gestation. The animals were divided into two equal groups of 20: a control group CON, which did not receive food supplement, and the experimental group V, which received a supplement of verbascoside in their feed. Consumption of the supplement, which was 2 g/ewe/d, was assured by individual and daily administration of feed. The animals received a pellet feed concentrate at a rate of 400 g/ewe/d prepartum and 700 g/ewe/d postpartum. The ration was completed with mixed hay ad libitum. The experimental measures included body weight; blood samples 20 d before lambing and 0 d, 20 d and 40 d after lambing; body condition score; individual yield and quality of milk. The administration of verbascoside significantly improved milk yield by 9.3% (P < 0.01), significantly decreased triglycerides, total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, alanine transferase (P < 0.01) and bilirubin (P < 0.05), and increased high density lipoprotein cholesterol (P < 0.01). Furthermore, the parameters of oxidative status in plasma were positively influenced by the use of dietary verbascoside, which resulted in significant decreases in reactive oxygen metabolites (P < 0.01) and thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances (P < 0.05) and increases in vitamins A and E (P < 0.01).The use of verbascoside during the peripartum period provided benefits on some blood parameters, oxidative status and milk production, particularly in the immediate postpartum period (0-20 d).