Field study of the effect of B vitamin supplementation (transition VB) on health, production, and reproduction in early lactation in dairy herds

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Up to one-half of dairy cows are affected by a subclinical metabolic disturbance in early lactation, of which the most common is hyperketonemia (ketosis). These conditions are associated with reduced animal performance and welfare. Over the last 10 years, Canadian researchers have demonstrated that provision of supplemental B vitamins to dairy cows in the weeks before and after calving has the potential to improve metabolic health and milk yield. A Canadian animal nutrition company, Jefo, had developed a novel dietary supplement containing the critical B vitamins. Very few nutritional supplements in the animal feed market have direct evidence of efficacy based on rigorous and suitably large-scale studies conducted in multiple commercial herds. Here, we propose a randomized controlled study in 1200 dairy cows in 6 herds over one year to assess the effectiveness of this product to reduce the incidence of ketosis, reduce fatty liver condition, decrease the proportion of cows that have not resumed a normal estrus cycle by the start of the breeding period, increase milk yield and improve reproductive performance in early lactation.