The effect of two patented protected plants wastes (PW), named in the paper as PE and CO, has been
evaluated in dairy heifers under ACTH challenge. The experimental protocol used for each compound involved 3
groups of 5 heifers, 18 days of adaptation to the experimental diets and 5 days (22-26) of ACTH treatment (0.5 mg
of Synachten – Novartis - twice a day). In addition to the basal diet, 1 kg of a mixture of dehy beet pulp and PW
in the ratio of 1.0:0.0 (EXP-0), 0.1:0.9 (EXP-1) and 0.3:0.7 (EXP-2) was fed in the morning meal to the experimental
groups. Blood was sampled before (days 19 and 22) and during (days 24 and 26) ACTH treatment and analysed
for cortisol, glucose, ceruloplasmin and haptoglobin. Acute phase proteins increased in the EXP-1 group for PE
(P<0.01) and in EXP-2 group for CO (P<0.05), while the higher concentration of CO reduced haptoglobin concentration
(P=0.01). These results suggest that the efficacy of PW integration is dose dependent and the optimal dose
seems to be different between the 2 selected compounds.
