Abstract

In order to investigate the effects of the Chinese herbal formula “Kangshu  = 1 \* ROMAN I” on the mechanism in dairy cows, 10 Holstein dairy cows which had similar weight, age, parity, milk yield were selected, and the experiments were conducted in three stages: the room temperature stage (negative control group), heat stress stage (positive control group) and heat stress stage with drug treatment (drug treatment group). The results indicated that the dairy cows sera heat shock protein (HSP70) concentration in the positive control group increased significantly than those in the negative control group (P<0.01). The plasma aldosterone (ALD) concentration, sera cortisol (COR) and thyroxine (T4) concentrations decreased significantly than those in the negative control group (P<0.01). Adrenocorticotropin (ACTH) decreased significantly than those in the negative control group (P<0.05). Triiodothyronine (T3) decreased non-significantly than those in negative control group (P>0.05). After usage of Chinese herbal formula “Kangshu I”, HSP70 levels in drug treatment group increased non-significantly than those in the positive control group (P>0.05). The plasma ALD concentrations, sera COR and T4 concentrations were significantly higher than those in the positive control group (P<0.01). ACTH increased significantly than those in the positive control group (P<0.05), T3 increased non-significantly than those in the positive control group (P>0.05).

Key words: Dairy cow, heat stress, Chinese herbal formula, heat shock protein (HSP70), hormone.