Abstract
A 3-year prospective study investigated the incidence of milk fever in Jersey and Holstein cows at a commercial dairy farm in Beatrice, Zimbabwe. The overall incidence of milk fever at the farm was 7.98%. Incidence of milk fever in Jerseys (14.78%) was significantly higher (p < 0.05) than that in Holsteins (4.82%). Incidence of milk fever in Jerseys beyond their fourth parity (24.85%) was significantly higher (p < 0.05) than that in Jerseys in their second (5.90%), third (6.49%) and fourth (8.73%) parities. Incidence of milk fever in Holsteins beyond their fourth parity (8.29%) was significantly higher (p < 0.05) than that in Holsteins in their second (1.43%), third (1.82%) and fourth (2.91%) parities. No significant difference existed in milk fever incidences between the second, third and fourth parities in either Jersey or Holstein cows. Incidence of milk fever in Jersey cows producing over 6114 litres per 305-day lactation (27.07%) was significantly higher than that in Jerseys producing less than 6114 litres of milk per 305-day lactation (p < 0.05). Incidence of milk fever in Holsteins producing more than 9149 litres per 305-day lactation (10.49%) was significantly higher than that in Holsteins producing less than 9149 litres of milk per 305-day lactation (p < 0.05). No significant difference existed between incidences of milk fever between the first, second and third quartile producers (p > 0.05) in either Jersey or Holstein cows. This study confirms that the risk of developing milk fever is higher in Jerseys and also increases with increasing parity and higher levels of milk production in both breeds, thus advocating for special considerations when dairy cows fit these criteria.
Highlights
Jersey and Holstein cattle make up the greater proportion (80%) of all the commercial dairy herds in the world
According to Oltenacu and Broom (2010), breeding for productivity has seriously overlooked welfare considerations for dairy animals. This blinkered focus on production has resulted in the increase of the incidence of production diseases or metabolic disorders such as milk fever, ketosis, hypomagnesaemia (Mulligan & Doherty 2008), fatty liver, lameness (Amory et al 2008) and hypophosphataemia (Radostits et al 2007)
The transition period between late pregnancy and early lactation has been found to be the most significant risk period for the development of metabolic disorders in the dairy cow (Roche et al 2013; Roche & Berry 2006), and this lasts for about 3 weeks post-partum (Mulligan & Doherty 2008)
Summary
Jersey and Holstein cattle make up the greater proportion (80%) of all the commercial dairy herds in the world. According to Oltenacu and Broom (2010), breeding for productivity has seriously overlooked welfare considerations for dairy animals. This blinkered focus on production has resulted in the increase of the incidence of production diseases or metabolic disorders such as milk fever, ketosis, hypomagnesaemia (Mulligan & Doherty 2008), fatty liver, lameness (Amory et al 2008) and hypophosphataemia (Radostits et al 2007). The transition period between late pregnancy and early lactation has been found to be the most significant risk period for the development of metabolic disorders in the dairy cow (Roche et al 2013; Roche & Berry 2006), and this lasts for about 3 weeks post-partum (Mulligan & Doherty 2008). The transition period between late pregnancy and early lactation has been found to be the most significant risk period for the development of metabolic disorders in the dairy cow (Roche et al 2013; Roche & Berry 2006), and this lasts for about 3 weeks post-partum (Mulligan & Doherty 2008). DeGaris and Lean (2008) suggested a longer period of 4 weeks post-partum as the period during which cows are most at risk for the development of metabolic disorders
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