Preventing common metabolic disorders in dairy cattle.

Appropriate nutrition, together with reduced environmental and emotional stress are key to reducing welfare issues in dairy cattle.Nutrition goes a long way in combating post-calving complications Numerous metabolic disorders plague the dairy cow, from those that have a systemic effect to those that are localised. Either way, they cause discomfort, pain and negatively impact the animal’s health, welfare and, ultimately, productivity. One common theme throughout this article in relation to prevention or, at the very least, minimizing the incidence of metabolic diseases is management. Appropriate nutrition, together with reduced environmental and emotional stress are key to reducing these welfare issues. 1) The transition period is probably one of the most critical times in the dairy cow's production cycle. Physiologically, the animal is firstly preparing for, then experiencing, calving and lactation and all the demands, both physically and emotionally, that the cow has to deal with. Hormonal changes and a greatly increased demand for energy and nutrients means that the cow must make use of body reserves to meet targets, such as producing milk. Management through the late dry period and very early lactation has a substantial impact on the cow’s ability to respond to these demands without detrimental effects on her health and well-being. 2) Ketosis during transition Ketosis is a result of inadequate energy available in the form of glucose, meaning the animal must burn residual fat in order to keep up with physiological energy demands. When the amount of fat being metabolized at any one time is excessive, then production can be diverted to more rapid production of ketone bodies as a source of energy. Affected animals exhibit reduced dry matter intake (DMI), lethargy and weight loss. One key sign is the smell of pear drops on the animal’s breath from the elevated level of ketones in the blood. Treatment involves raising glucose levels in order to reduce energy generated from fat and body tissue. Ketosis can occur at any time in very early lactation, but occurrence often peaks at around 20 to 30 days. Risk factors for ketosis, include not only inadequate energy intake, but also poor or excessive body condition during the transition period. continue