the link bw cow health & nutrition
DESCRIPTION
Jaylor's Ruminant Nutritionist, Janet Kleinschmidt, looks at cow health and nutrition in terms of nutritional imbalances, deficiencies, or erratic management of feeding programs. See our latest SlideShare presentation now.TRANSCRIPT
THE LINK BETWEEN COW HEALTH AND NUTRITION
COW HEALTH AND NUTRITION
NUTRITIONAL IMBALANCES, DEFICIENCIES OR ERRATIC MANAGEMENT OF FEEDING
PROGRAMS CAN CREATE LARGE NUMBERS AND VARIOUS TYPES OF HEALTH PROBLEMS, GENERALLY REFERED TO AS METABOLIC
DISEASES.
COMPOUNDING THE PROBLEM ARE EVER-CHANGING NUTRITIONAL NEEDS OF THE COW, HER
LACTATION/DRY PERIOD NEEDS, FEED QUALITY CHANGES AND PRODUCER MANAGEMENT
PRACTICES.
COW HEALTH AND NUTRITION
FREQUENTLY WHEN METABOLIC DISEASE INCREASES, OPPORTUNISTIC INFECTIOUS
DISEASE ALSO INCREASES.
IF THESE DISEASES ARE NOT PREVENTED OR REDUCED, VERY COSTLY CONSEQUENCES IN REPRODUCTION, PRODUCTION AND HUMAN
RESOURCES WILL OCCUR.
REDUCED DRY MATTER INTAKE (DMI)
HOW MUCH SHOULD LACTATING AND DRY COWS EAT?
LACTATING B/W 19-28 KG DM
42 lb - 61 lb
FAR AWAY DRY 12 KG DM
26 lb
CLOSE UP DRY 10 KG DM
22 lb
REDUCED DRY MATTER INTAKE (DMI)
AS A NUTRITIONIST THE QUESTION I ASK FIRST WHEN CONFRONTED WITH REDUCED DMI IS:
WHY ARE DMI’S REDUCED?
Empty bunks Inadequate bunk space, crowded facilities Ration DM < 45% or > 55% High fibre ration, NDF>33%, ADF>20% ANALYSE
YOUR FORAGES!!!! Low salt intake
REDUCED DRY MATTER INTAKE (DMI)
REDUCED DRY MATTER INTAKE (DMI)
Water intake restricted or poor quality Moldy feed Poor bunk management, old feed not cleaned out. Unpalatable feeds and/or low quality forages being
fed.
WHAT CAN BE DONE?
REDUCED DRY MATTER INTAKE (DMI)
WORK WITH YOUR NUTRITIONIST TO ENSURE THAT ALL PARTS OF YOUR RATION ARE PROPERLY BALANCED
SUBMIT FORAGES FOR ANALYSIS MONTHLY CHECK MOISTURE LEVELS ON ALL WET
INGREDIENTS WEEKLY ENSURE YOU HAVE AN EXCELLENT 2 GROUP DRY
COW PROGRAM (OR 1 GROUP) CHECK FOR “SARA” (SUBACUTE RUMEN
ACIDOSIS):– OVER FEEDING GRAIN– POOR eNDF– SORTING BY COWS– PERFORM RUMEN pH’s
REDUCED DRY MATTER INTAKE (DMI)
START FEEDING SODIUM BICARBONATE (150-220 G/H/D)
START FEEDING A YEAST PRODUCT FEED HIGHLY PALATABLE FEEDS SUCH AS
BREWERS GRAINS, MOLASSES ETC. TALK TO YOUR VET ABOUT SUPPORT
TREATMENTS FOR KETOSIS CONSIDER ADMINISTERING Ca AS SOON AS
POSSIBLE TO ALL MATURE COWS AFTER CALVING
KETOSIS & SUB-CLINICAL KETOSIS
THIS METABLOIC DISEASE OCCURS MOST FREQUENTLY IN EARLY LACTATION.
SUBCLINICAL KETOSIS IS CHARACTERIZED BY “MELT DOWN”
I HAVE SEEN IT IN MID TO LATE LACTATION DUE TO OVER CROWDING OR FOOT ISSUES.
OFTEN KETOSIS IS ASSOCIATED WITH FAT COW SYNDROME, RP’S, MASTITIS, METRITIS AND DA’S.
KETOSIS POSITIVE COWS SHOULD BE MONITORED FOR OTHER ISSUES.
KETOSIS & SUB-CLINICAL KETOSIS
SIGNS OF KETOSIS INCLUDE: REDUCED DMI WEIGHT LOSS DECREASED MILK PRODUCTION DEPRESSION AND LISTLESSNESS “DOWNER COW” “KETONE” BREATH
What can be done?
KETOSIS & SUB-CLINICAL KETOSIS
ENSURE YOU HAVE AN EXCELLENT 2 GROUP DRY COW PROGRAM
MAINTAIN DRY COWS IN A BCS OF 3.5 TO 4.0 TRY AND HAVE A SEPARATE “TRANSITION GROUP” MAKE SURE THAT COWS FEET ARE KEPT
TRIMMED AND TREATED CONSIDER FEEDING NIACIN IN THE CUD GROUP
AND UP UNTIL 100 DIM USE CRC RUMENSIN BOLUSES IN THE CUD GROUP
AND 200 MG MONENSIN H/D IN THE MILKING HERD WORK WITH YOUR VET ON PROTOCOL TO HANDLE
CLINICAL CASES OF KETOSIS– PROPYLENE GLYCOL– DEXTROSE
MILK FEVER
MILK FEVER GENERALLY OCCURS AT OR NEAR CALVING DUE TO A LARGE Ca DEMAND AT THE
ONSET OF COLOSTRUM/MILK PRODUCTION.
I HAVE SEEN IT IN HIGH PRODUCTION, 3X COWS IN MID LACTATION.
SIGNS OF MILK FEVER INCLUDE: STAGGERING, TREMORS,“DOWNER COW”, MUSCULAR
WEAKNESS AND SUBNORMAL TEMPERATURE.
THERE IS A SUB-CLINICAL FORM OF MILK FEVER WHICH MIMICS SUB-CLINICAL KETOSIS.
MILK FEVER
OTHER PROBLEMS ASSOCIATED WITH MILK FEVER: BLOAT DA’S KETOSIS MASTITIS COMPROMISED IMMUNE SYSTEM REDUCED TOTAL PRODUCTIVITY DYSTOCIA UTERINE PROLAPSE RP’S METRITIS “MELT DOWN” AND ASSOCIATED REPRODUCTIVE
FAILURE
MILK FEVER
WHAT CAN BE DONE? ENSURE YOU HAVE AN EXCELLENT 2 GROUP DRY
COW PROGRAM I BALANCE MY CUD RATIONS USING 0.70% Ca,
0.35% P, 0.25% Mg AND K , <1.2% ON A DM BASIS. IF I CANNOT ACHIEVE THESE VALUES I USE
ANIONIC SALTS, IN WHICH CASE Ca LEVELS IN THE RATION SHOULD BE >150 G/H/D
MONITORING URINE pH HELPS CHECK EFFECTIVENESS OF ANIONIC SALTS (6.0 to 6.5
BALANCE CUD VITAMINS AS FOLLOWS:VITAMIN A 200 KIU/DAY VITAMIN D 50 KIU/DAY VITAMIN E 1,000 – 4,000 IU/DAY
MILK FEVER
MILK FEVER
NEVER FEED FREE CHOICE MINERALS TO CUD COWS.
NEVER FEED SODIUM BICARBOANTE TO CUD COWS.
LIMIT SALT TO CUD COWS (UDDER EDEMA AND MILK FEVER)
WORK WITH YOUR VET ON PROTOCOL TO HANDLE CLINICAL CASES OF MILK FEVER
DISPLACED ABOMASUM (DA)
MOST DA’S OCCUR SHORTLY AFTER CALVING.
I HAVE SEEN IT IN MID TO LATE LACTATION DUE TO OVER CROWDING OR FOOT ISSUES.
SIGNS OF DA’S RESEMBLE KETOSIS:OFF FEEDSCANT BOWEL MOVEMENTSNORMAL TEMPERATUREDRASTIC REDUCTION IN MILKGENERAL DISCOMFORT
DISPLACED ABOMASUM (DA)
WHAT CAN BE DONE? ENSURE YOU HAVE AN EXCELLENT 2 GROUP DRY
COW PROGRAM
DO NOT OVER FEED GRAIN OR UNDER FEED FORAGE IN EITHER THE CUD GROUP OR THE FRESH GROUP (HIGH GROUP TMR + 1-2 KG LONG STEM HAY)
ELIMINATE MOLDY FEEDS FROM ALL DAIRY RATIONS
RETAINED PLACENTA (RP)
RP’S ARE CONSIDER A PROBLEM WHEN 8-10% OF THE HERD DOES NOT DROP THEIR FETAL MEMBRANES WITHIN 24 HOURS AFTER CALVING
RP’S ARE THE SYMPTOM OF ANOTHER PROBLEM:1. Milk fever (sub or clinical)2. Ketosis (sub or clinical)3. Protein deficiency4. Se &/or Vit. E deficiency5. Twins, hard calving, late/early calf etc.
RETAINED PLACENTA (RP)
WHAT CAN BE DONE? ENSURE YOU HAVE AN EXCELLENT 2 GROUP DRY COW
PROGRAM ENSURE THAT ALL PROTEINS ARE BALANCED IN THE CUD
COW GROUP ENSURE EXCELLENT VITAMIN A,D, & E NUTRITION IN THE
CUD COWS ENSURE EXCELLENT Se NUTRITION IN THE CUD GROUP. I
BALANCE AT 7-8 MG/H/D IN THIS GROUP. USE AN ANIONIC SALT TO REDUCE MILK FEVER. AVOID FAT OR THIN COW SYNDROME AVOID STRESS AROUND THE TIME OF CALVING.
METRITIS
LIKE RP’S, METRITIS, OR INFECTION OF THE UTERUS, IS USUALLY A SYMPTOM OF ANOTHER PROBLEM:
TWINS OR HARD CALVING DIRTY CALVING AREA FAT COW OR THIN COW SYNDROME AGGRESSIVE OR UNHYGENIC
INTERVENTION AT CALVING RP’S
METRITIS
WHAT CAN BE DONE?AVOID RP’S INJECT Se &/OR VITAMIN EELIMINATE MOLDY FEEDS FROM ALL DAIRY
RATIONS INDUCE OR NATURAL ESTRUSMAINTAIN A HIGH LEVEL OF SANITATION IN THE
CALVING AREAFEED A WELL BALANCED RATION IN THE FAD
AND CUD GROUPS.MONITOR BCS IN ALL ANIMALS AND MANAGE
ACCORDINGLY
REPRODUCTIVE FAILURE
REPRODUCTIVE FAILURE IN DAIRY HERDS CAN BE DIVIDED IN TO MANY CATAGORIES:
CYSTIC OVARIESANESTRUSREPEAT BREEDERSABORTIONSDISEASE CONDITIONS
CYSTIC OVARIES
CYSTIC OVARIES ARE AN ISSUE WHEN THEY EFFECT 15% OF THE MATURE HERD OR 5% OF THE HEIFER
HERD.
CYSTIC OVARIES CAN BE THE RESULT OF: MINERAL IMBALANCE, SPECIFICALLY Ca, P & Mg EXTREMEMLY FAT OR THIN COWS HIGH ESTROGEN LEVELS IN CERTAIN FORAGES
AND MYCOTOXINS GENETIC PREDISPOSITION STRESSFUL CONDITIONS IN EARLY LACTATION
CYSTIC OVARIES
WHAT CAN BE DONE? ENSURE Ca, P & Mg ARE WELL BALANCED IN THE MILKING
RATION (Ca 1.0%-1.1%; P 0.36-0.4%; Mg 0.35%-0.40%) PUT THIN DRY COWS DIRECTLY INTO THE CUD GROUP BCS ALL MEMBERS OF THE HERD ONCE A MONTH AND
ADJUST THE NeL ACCORDINGLY. DO HERD HEALTHS REGULARLY MONITOR ALL RATION INGREDIEINTS FOR MOLD &/OR
MYCOTOXINS IF POSSIBLE, TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION “CYSTIC
FAMILIES” WHEN BREEDING (DIFFICULT, USUALLY HIGH PRODUCERS)
ANESTRUS
ANESTRUS, OR FAILURE TO SHOW SIGNS OF HEAT, IS IN MOST CASES A FAILURE TO DETECT HEAT.
ANESTRUS IS THE RESULT OF: ANEMIA DUE TO DIFFERENT DISEASES
CONDTIONS, PARASITES, DEFICIENCIES IN CP, Fe, Cu, Co OR Se
P DEFICIENCY ENERGY DEFICIENCY CYSTIC OVARIES PYOMETRA
ANESTRUS
WHAT CAN BE DONE? PUT THIN DRY COWS DIRECTLY INTO THE CUD
GROUP BCS ALL MEMBERS OF THE HERD ONCE A MONTH
AND ADJUST THE NeL ACCORDINGLY. CHECK PROBLEM COWS FOR ANEMIA AND TREAT
ACCORDINGLY AVOID OTHER METABLOIC DISEASES ASSOCIATED
WITH ANESTRUS ENSURE THE VITAMINS AND MINERALS ARE WELL
BALANCED IN THE MILKING RATION
REPEAT BREEDERS
AS WITH ANESTRUS COWS REPEAT BREEDERS ARE USUALLY A “MAN MADE” PROBLEM.
FROM A NUTRITIONIST PRESPECTIVE I WILL SEE IT IF THERE IS A SERIOUS IMBALANCE OR DEFICIENCY
OF VITAMINS AND MINERALS.
ACIDOSIS IS ALSO ASSOCIATED WITH POOR FERTLITY.
ABORTIONS
CAUSE OF ABORTION CAN BE INFECTIOUS OR NON-INFECTIOUS.
A NORMAL HERD RATE SHOULD BE AROUND 1 TO 3% OR LESS.
NUTRITIONALLY THERE ARE SEVERAL ASPECTS TO LOOK AT:
HIGH SOLUBLE PROTEIN AT BREEDING OR IN THE 1ST TRIMESTER OF PREGNANCY
NITRATE POISONING AND MYCOTOXINS WEED CONTAMINATION OF FORAGES
ABORTIONS
WHAT CAN BE DONE?
ENSURE THAT ALL PROTEIN FRACTIONS ARE BALANCED
TEST STRESSED FEEDS FOR NITRATE LEVELS AND MYCOTOXINS
ENSURE THAT FORAGES ARE HARVESTED CONTAMINATION FREE
INFECTIOUS FOOT PROBLEMS
COWS WHO CANNOT WALK DO NOT EAT OR SHOW HEATS, ARE MORE PRONE TO METABOLIC
DISORDERS AND ARE LIKELY TO BE PREMATURELY CULLED FROM THE HERD.
REMEMBER: ONCE, STRAWBERRY FOOT IS IN YOU HERD IT IS THERE INDEFINITELY.
ANY STRESS IN THE HERD OR INDIVIDUAL COWS WILL MAKE THEM SUSCEPTIBLE TO A FLARE UP
OF STRAWBERRY FOOT.
INFECTIOUS FOOT PROBLEMS
LAMENESS DUE TO INFECTION CAUSES COWS TO SPEND LESS TIME ON THEIR FEET: ONCE THEY ARE
SETTLED IN A STALL THEY ARE RELUCTANT TO LEAVE IT EVEN IF IT MEANS FOREGOING FOOD AND
WATER.
THIS IN TURN LEADS TO SLUG FEEDING, REDUCED RUMEN pH (ACIDOSIS) AND EVENTUALLY
LAMINITIS. DA’s, LOW BCS AND KETOSIS ARE ALSO COMMON IN
THESE ANIMALS.
LAMINITIS AND ACIDOSIS
NUTRITION IS PROBABLY THE SINGLE MOST IMPORTANT FACTOR CONTRIBUTING TO THE
DEVELOPMENT OF LAMINITIS.
FACTORS SUCH AS: THE AMOUNT AND TYPE OF GRAIN GRAIN PROCESSING FORAGE TYPE AND QUALITY, LEVELS ETC.
INFLUENCE INTAKE PATTERNS, ENERGY METABOLISM AND SUB-CLINICAL ACIDOSIS.
LAMINITIS AND ACIDOSIS
BOTH LOW ROUGHAGE LEVELS AND REDUCED PARTICLE SIZE EXACERBATE ACIDOSIS DURING THE
TRANSITION PERIOD.
What to do? ENSURE NDF IS BETWEEN 28-33% FOR HIGH PRODUCTION
GROUPS (75% OF WHICH SHOULD BE COMING FROM THE FORAGE FRACTION).
NSC LEVELS SHOULD BE BETWEEN 35-40%, ALTHOUGH IN MY EXPERIENCE I DO NOT LIKE TO GO OVER 37-38% IF POSSIBLE.
15 TO 20% OF PARTICLES IN THE RATION SHOULD BE AT LEAST 4 CM LONG.
LAMINITIS AND ACIDOSIS
DIAGNOSE ACIDOSIS AND SARA
AT THE BARN LEVEL I LOOK AT CUD CHEWING, FEET, BODY ABSCESSES, BF%:MP%, TMR TEXTURE AND “SHAKER BOX”
RUMENOCENTESIS IS AN EXCELLENT TOOL TO DETERMINE ACIDOSIS OR SARA STATUS (CLINICAL 5.0-5.5 pH, SARA 5.5 TO 6.0 pH)
MASTITIS
ALTHOUGH MOST MASTITIS IS RELATED TO THE ENVIRONMENT, MILKING PROCEEDURE ETC. THERE
ARE NUTRITIONAL CONNECTIONS.
ACIDOSIS IS CLOSELY ASSOCIATED WITH HIGH SCC AND MASTITIS
A POORLY BALANCED RATION CAN LOWER THE ANIMALS IMMUNE SYSTEM AND CONTRIBUTE TO MASTITIS
HIGH LEVELS OF MYCOTOXINS (VOMITOXIN) CAN BE ASSOCIATED WITH MASTITIS
MASTITIS
TAKE HOME MESSAGE
METABLOIC DISEASES ARE CLOSELY RELATED TO THE NUTRITION AND FEEDING
MANAGEMENT OF YOUR HERD.
CAN YOU AFFORD TO IGNORE IT?