The Effects of administration of different parts of banana (Musa cavendish) fruit extracts and peel powder on the oxidative/antioxidative characteristics and some mineral concentrations in neonatal dairy calves

The present study examined the effects of overripe banana (Musa cavendish) pulp and green banana peel extract and powder on oxidants/antioxidants parameters and some minerals in Holstein dairy calves. Forty newborn calves were randomly divided into four groups of 10 (control, group one, group two and group three). The groups were homogenous for the parity of the dams and the time of birth.Within 12-48 hours of birth, calves were assigned to their treatment groups. In the control group, animals received no banana meal. In group one, calves were supplemented with 2 g (dry matter)/kg body weight/day of overripe banana pulp extract for five days. The calves in group two were supplemented with 1 g (dry matter) of overripe banana pulp extract /kg body weight/day and 1 g (dry matter) of green banana peel extract/kg body weight/day for five days. The animals in group three were supplemented with 2 g/kg body weight/day of green banana peel powder for five days. Blood samples were taken on day 0 (at birth) and on days 7, 15 and 30 through the jugular vein. Age (the time of sampling) had a significant effect on the values of phosphorous, potassium, iron, copper, FRAP and activity of GPx enzyme (p < 0.05). Significant group and sampling time interaction was seen for the FRAP concentrations (p < 0.05). In conclusion, banana supplementation in the Holstein dairy calf’s diet at the concentration and duration that was reported in the present study had beneficial effect on the values of FRAP.