Abstract
Article Details: Received: 2020-10-14 | Accepted: 2020-11-27 | Available online: 2021-01-31 https://doi.org/10.15414/afz.2021.24.mi-prap.102-104 The aim of this study was to determine the effects of the claw diseases of dairy cows on the protein and urea content in milk. The study was conducted on 198 dairy cows, half of which was lame. Animals were divided into three groups according to their current phase of lactation. The cause of lameness was diagnosed in the claw crush. Milk samples were taken from all animals and the protein and urea content were determined. The content of protein and urea in milk of the lame cows in the first phase of lactation was reduced by 9.55 % and 29.9 %, respectively. Lame cows in the second phase of lactation had milk and urea content reduced by 6.94 % and 18.9 %, respectively. The cows in the third phase of lactation had content of milk protein and urea decreased by 10.3 % and 18 %, respectively. These results point to the fact that painful claw diseases affect the protein and urea content of milk. Keywords: claw diseases, dairy cattle, milk, protein, urea References Auldist, M. J. et al. (1995). Changes in the composition of milk from healthy and mastitic dairy cows during the lactation cycle. Australian Journal of Experimental Agriculture , 35, 427-436. DOI: 10.1071/EA9950427. Auldist, M. J. et al. (1998) Seasonal and lactational influences on bovine milk composition in New Zealand. Journal of Dairy Research , 65, 401-411. DOI: 10.1017/s0022029998002970. Auldist, M. J., Hubble, I. B. (1998). Effects of mastitis on raw milk and dairy products. The Australian Journal of Dairy Technology , 1998, 53, 28-36. AGR: IND21984460. Bach, A. et al. (2007). Associations between lameness and production, feeding and milking attendance of Holstein cows milked with an automatic milking system. Journal of Dairy Research , 74(1), 40–46. DOI: 10.1017/S0022029906002184. Bradley, A. et al. (2012). Control of mastitis and enhancement of milk quality. In Green M. et al. (eds). Dairy Herd Health . Croydon:CABI, 117–168. DOI: 10.1079/9781845939977.0117. Dhali, A et al. (2006). Monitoring feeding adequacy in dairy cows using milk urea and milk protein contents under farm condition. Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences , 19, 1742-1748. DOI: 10.5713/ajas.2006.1742. Green, L. E. et al. (2010). Associations between lesion-specific lameness and the milk yield of 1635 dairy cows from seven herds in the Xth region of Chile and implications for the management of dairy cows worldwide. Animal Welfare , 19, 419-427. ISSN: 0962-7286. Grimm, K. et al. (2019). New insights into the association between lameness, behavior, and performance in Simmental cows. Journal of Dairy Science , 102(3), 2453–2468. DOI: 10.3168/jds.2018-15035. Haug, A. et al. (2007). Bovine milk in human nutrition–a review. Lipids in Health and Disease , 6(1), 25. DOI: 10.1186/1476-511X-6-25 Holdaway, R. J. (1990). A comparison of methods for the diagnosis of bovine subclinical mastitis within New Zealand dairy herds. Thesis (Ph. D.)--Massey University, http://hdl.handle.net/10179/3162 Jonker, J. S. et al. (1998). Using milk urea nitrogen to predict nitrogen excretion and utilization efficiency in lactating dairy cows. Journal of Dairy Science , 81, 2681–2692. DOI: 10.3168/jds.S0022-0302(98)75825-4. Kohn, R. A. et al. (2002). Evaluation of models to estimate urinary nitrogen and expected milk urea nitrogen. Journal fo Dairy Science , 85, 227–233. DOI: 10.3168/jds.S0022-0302(02)74071-X. Mudroň, P. (2015). Claw diseases and dairy production. Slovak Veterinary Journal , 40(1-2), 77–80. O´Callaghan KA, et al. (2003). Subjective and objective assessment of pain and discomfort due to lameness in dairy cattle. Animal Welfare , 12(4), 605–610. Shuster, D. E. et al. (1991). Suppression of Milk Production During Endotoxin-Induced Mastitis. Journal of Dairy Science , 74 (11), 3763-3774. DOI: 10.3168/jds.S0022-0302(91)78568-8. Tyasi, T. L. et al. (2015). Assessing the effect of nutrition on milk composition of dairy cows: A review. International Journal of Current Science , 17, 2250–1770. ISSN: 2250-1770. Vajda, V., Maskaľová, I. (2016). Evaluation of feed quality and creation of productive animal health , Košice: UVLF. ISBN: 978-80-8077-526-1.
Highlights
The quality of the milk depends mainly on the proper nutrition, the lack of knowledge about the relationship between nutrition and milk production leads to low milk yield and lower milk quality (Tyasi et al, 2015)
The percentage of individual milk components differs from breed to breed, but in general we can say that milk is composed of water 87.7%, protein 3.3%, fat 3.4%, lactose 4.9% and mineral salts 0.7% (Haug et al, 2007)
Low concentrations of urea in milk are the result of unbalanced intake of nitrogenous substances and low proportion of NH3 in the rumen required for the growth of microflora (Vajda et al, 2016)
Summary
The quality of the milk depends mainly on the proper nutrition, the lack of knowledge about the relationship between nutrition and milk production leads to low milk yield and lower milk quality (Tyasi et al, 2015). Content and synthesis of milk protein is secured with the supply of metabolized amino acids to the mammary gland This can be achieved with stimulation of the growth of rumen microflora (affected with the dry matter intake) or with addition of bypass protein. The amount of urea in milk reflects the balance of protein intake of the feed ration and the intake of non-structural carbohydrates important for the optimal growth of the ruminal microflora. Low concentrations of urea in milk are the result of unbalanced intake of nitrogenous substances and low proportion of NH3 in the rumen required for the growth of microflora (Vajda et al, 2016). Milk urea concentration and protein content in milk can be considered good indicators of the disruption of the feed intake of dairy cattle.
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