Milk Fever Research Articles

Addition of dextrose and caffeine to the intravenous treatment of milk fever in Holstein Friesian cattle

A farmer reported a cow unable to stand 48 hours postpartum. The cow was a 2.5 years old dairy cow with a body weight of around 350 kg. The cow was fed elephant grass, standard concentrate (16–18%) crude protein, and drinking water ad libitum without mineral supplementation during the dry season. The cow's position and posture when lying down, ear temperature, and eye pupils were included in the physical examination. Availability of food and drink was examined to predict appetite and thirst. The results of the history and physical examination showed that the cow was unable to stand 48 hours after calving, had no appetite and eye reflexes, had cold ears, and trembling hind legs. The cow was laid on its right side, with its head turned to flank. Based on the anamnesis and physical examination, the cow was diagnosed as suffering from stage 2 puerperal hypocalcemia. The cow was infused via the jugular vein with a solution containing 270 mg calcium borogluconate, 70 mg magnesium borogluconate, 300 mg dextrose, 5 mg phosphorus element, 2 mg potassium chloride, and 5 mg caffeine per 1 mL of solution. Forty-five minutes after the infusion, the cow was able to stand, although it still looked weak. It could be concluded that the addition of dextrose and caffeine to the standard treatment of milk fever was beneficial for recovery.

Addition of dextrose and caffeine to the intravenous treatment of milk fever in Holstein Friesian cattle

A farmer reported a cow unable to stand 48 hours postpartum. The cow was a 2.5 years old dairy cow with a body weight of around 350 kg. The cow was fed elephant grass, standard concentrate (16–18%) crude protein, and drinking water ad libitum without mineral supplementation during the dry season. The cow's position and posture when lying down, ear temperature, and eye pupils were included in the physical examination. Availability of food and drink was examined to predict appetite and thirst. The results of the history and physical examination showed that the cow was unable to stand 48 hours after calving, had no appetite and eye reflexes, had cold ears, and trembling hind legs. The cow was laid on its right side, with its head turned to flank. Based on the anamnesis and physical examination, the cow was diagnosed as suffering from stage 2 puerperal hypocalcemia. The cow was infused via the jugular vein with a solution containing 270 mg calcium borogluconate, 70 mg magnesium borogluconate, 300 mg dextrose, 5 mg phosphorus element, 2 mg potassium chloride, and 5 mg caffeine per 1 mL of solution. Forty-five minutes after the infusion, the cow was able to stand, although it still looked weak. It could be concluded that the addition of dextrose and caffeine to the standard treatment of milk fever was beneficial for recovery.

Inbreeding depression for producer-recorded udder, metabolic, and reproductive diseases in US dairy cattle

This study leveraged a growing dataset of producer-recorded phenotypes for mastitis, reproductive diseases (metritis and retained placenta), and metabolic diseases (ketosis, milk fever, and displaced abomasum) to investigate the potential presence of inbreeding depression for these disease traits. Phenotypic, pedigree, and genomic information were obtained for 354,043 and 68,292 US Holstein and Jersey cows, respectively. Total inbreeding coefficients were calculated using both pedigree and genomic information; the latter included inbreeding estimates obtained using a genomic relationship matrix and runs of homozygosity. We also generated inbreeding coefficients based on the generational inbreeding for recent and old pedigree inbreeding, for different run-of-homozygosity length classes, and for recent and old homozygous-by-descent segment-based inbreeding. Estimates on the liability scale revealed significant evidence of inbreeding depression for reproductive-disease traits, with an increase in total pedigree and genomic inbreeding showing a notable effect for recent inbreeding. However, we found inconsistent evidence for inbreeding depression for mastitis or any metabolic diseases. Notably, in Holsteins, the probability of developing displaced abomasum decreased with inbreeding, particularly for older inbreeding. Estimates of disease probability for cows with low, average, and high inbreeding levels did not significantly differ across any inbreeding coefficient and trait combination, indicating that although inbreeding may affect disease incidence, it likely plays a smaller role compared with management and environmental factors.

A comprehensive meta-analysis of genetic parameters for resilience and productivity indicator traits in Holstein cattle

Selection for resilience indicator (RIND) traits in Holstein cattle is becoming an important breeding objective as the worldwide population is expected to be exposed to increased environmental stressors due to both climate change and changing industry standards. However, genetic correlations between RIND and productivity indicator (PIND) traits, which are already being selected for and have the most economic value, are often unfavorable. As a result, it is necessary to fully understand these genetic relationships when incorporating novel traits into selection indices, so that informed decisions can be made to fully optimize selection for both groups of traits. In the past 2 decades, there have been many estimates of RIND traits published in the literature, albeit in small populations. To provide valuable pooled summary estimates, a random-effects meta-analysis was conducted for heritability and genetic correlation estimates for PIND and RIND traits in worldwide Holstein cattle. In total, 926 heritability estimates for 9 PIND and 27 RIND traits, along with 362 estimates of genetic correlation (PIND × RIND traits) were collected. Resilience indicator traits were grouped into the following subgroups: Metabolic Diseases, Hoof Health, Udder Health, Fertility, Heat Tolerance, Longevity, and Other. Pooled estimates of heritability for PIND traits ranged from 0.201 ± 0.05 (energy-corrected milk) to 0.377 ± 0.06 (protein content), while pooled estimates of heritability for RIND traits ranged from 0.032 ± 0.02 (incidence of lameness, incidence of milk fever) to 0.497 ± 0.05 (measures of body weight). Pooled estimates of genetic correlations ranged from -0.360 ± 0.25 (protein content vs. milk acetone concentration) to 0.535 ± 0.72 (measures of fat-to-protein ratio vs. milk acetone concentration). Additionally, out of 243 potential genetic correlations between PIND and RIND traits that could have been reported, only 40 had enough published estimates to implement the meta-analysis model. Our results confirmed that the interactions between PIND and RIND traits are complex, and all relationships should be evaluated when incorporating novel traits into selection indices. This study provides a valuable reference for breeders looking to incorporate RIND traits for Holstein cattle into selection indices.

Evaluation of the prophylactic efficacy of oral calcium gel in preventing milk fever relapse and hypocalcemia in post-calved dairy cows

Oral Calcium Gel (OCG) is a promising prophylactic and supportive supplement for milk fever and Downer syndrome in postcalved dairy cows. This study evaluated the efficacy of OCG supplementing in improving rumen motility, feed intake, parturition/calving, Retention of Placenta (ROP), and product performance and safety. A total of 30 postcalved dairy cows were randomly divided into three groups: G1, cows selected immediately after calving (n = 7); G2, cows with milk fever (n = 14); and G3, cows with milk fever and Downer syndrome (n = 9). The cows in G1 and G2 were supplemented with OCG 300 g; 8 – 12 h apart; repeat 2 – 4 supplementation for 1 – 2 days only. Conversely, the cows in G3 were supplemented with 300 g of OCG + IV calcium injection; + 8 – 12 h apart; repeat 1 – 3 supplementation of OCG (300 g). OCG supplementation improved rumen motility, feed intake, parturition/calving, and ROP in all three groups. The mean product performance and safety scores were also good. Notably, OCG supplementation was effective in preventing ROP, which is a common postpartum complication in dairy cows. Overall, the findings of this study suggest that OCG supplementation is a promising prophylactic and supportive agent for milk fever and Downer syndrome in postcalved dairy cows.

The efficiency of cabergoline vs pyridoxine for lactation inhibition—a randomized controlled trial

Some mothers may seek lactation inhibition on personal, social, or medical grounds. The common drug used for lactation inhibition is cabergoline. Several adverse effects and contraindications are known for this drug. Its use is contraindicated for patients with hypertensive disorders and fibrotic, cardiac, or hepatic diseases. In addition, pyridoxine (vitamin B6) has been used for this indication, with no significant adverse effect, following studies that demonstrated its efficacy. This study aimed to compare the efficiency of cabergoline vs pyridoxine for lactation inhibition. A randomized controlled trial was conducted. Postpartum patients who requested lactation inhibition were randomly allocated to receive either cabergoline (1 mg once on postpartum day 1 or divided to 0.25 mg twice a day for 2 days thereafter, according to the departmental protocol, which is in line with the manufacturer recommendations) or pyridoxine (200 mg 3 times a day for 7 days). The patients enrolled were free of diseases in which contraindications to cabergoline are present. All patients completed a questionnaire for assessing breast engorgement, breast pain, and milk leakage on a scale of 0 (no symptom) to 5 (severe symptom) on days 0, 2, 7, and 14. The primary outcome was lactation inhibition success, defined as a score of 0 for both engorgement and pain on day 7. The secondary outcomes included the assessment of milk leakage, adverse effects, fever, mastitis, and treatment discontinuation or alteration. Of note, 45 and 43 patients received cabergoline or pyridoxine, respectively, and were included in the analysis following the intention-to-treat principle. Cabergoline was superior to pyridoxine in inhibiting lactation at day 7 (78% vs 35%, respectively; P<.0001). Mild symptoms, defined as a score of 0 to 2 for breast engorgement and pain, at day 7 were 40 (89%) in the cabergoline group and 29 (67%) in the pyridoxine group (P=.01). The incidence of milk leakage was lower in the cabergoline group after 7 and 14 days than in the pyridoxine group (9% vs 42% [P=.0003] and 11% vs 31% [P=.02], respectively). Cabergoline had more adverse effects than pyridoxine (31% vs 9%, respectively; P=.01), but all adverse effects were mild. The rates of mastitis and fever that were related to engorgement were similar in the cabergoline and pyridoxine groups (4 [9%] vs 2 [5%], respectively; P=.67). Furthermore, 9 patients (21%) in the pyridoxine group switched to or added cabergoline because of treatment failure. Accordingly, on day 7, the pyridoxine success rate was reduced from 35% (15 women) to 28% (12 women) and from 67% (29 women) to 53% (23 women) for a score of 0 and 0 to 2 for both engorgement and pain, respectively. Cabergoline was superior to pyridoxine in inhibiting lactation. Cabergoline had more adverse effects, but no major adverse effect was documented in either treatment group. As pyridoxine inhibited lactation successfully in previous studies and in 67% of patients in this study, its use should be considered in women with contraindications for cabergoline.

Association of transition cow health with pregnancy per artificial insemination and pregnancy loss in Holstein cows submitted to a Double-Ovsynch protocol for first service

This observational study was conducted to evaluate the effect of transition cow health on pregnancy per artificial insemination (P/AI) and pregnancy loss (PL) in cows submitted to a Double-Ovsynch protocol (DO) for first service. Lactating Holstein cows (n = 15,041) from one commercial dairy farm in northern Germany between January 2015 to December 2021 were enrolled into a modified Double-Ovsynch protocol (GnRH, 7 d later PGF2α, 3 d later GnRH, 7 d later GnRH, 7 d later PGF2α, 24 h later PGF2α, 32 h later GnRH, and 16 to 18 h later timed artificial insemination) for first service at 72 ± 3 d in milk. Pregnancy was diagnosed at 32 and 60 d post-AI via transrectal ultrasonography. Pregnancy loss was defined as the proportion of cows diagnosed pregnant 32 d post-artificial insemination that were diagnosed nonpregnant 60 d post-artificial insemination. Health-related events (i.e., milk fever [MF], hyperketonemia [KET], retained fetal membranes [RFM], metritis, mastitis, left displaced abomasum [LDA]) were assessed by farm personnel using standard operating procedures. Multivariable logistic regression was used for testing potential associations between transition cow health event occurrence and outcome variables, including P/AI and PL. Three separate models were built for cows in first lactation, second lactation, and ≥third lactation. Overall, 20.0% (885/4,430), 34.9% (1,391/3,989), and 53.9% (3,570/6,622) of cows had at least one transition cow health event for first, second, and ≥third lactations, respectively. The most prevalent transition cow health event for first-lactation cows was metritis (10.7%; [473/4,430]), whereas second-lactation cows suffered mostly from mastitis (16.6%; [664/3,989] and KET (16.6%; [661/3,989]), and cows with ≥third lactations were mostly affected by KET (33.2%; [2,198/6,622]). We observed a negative association between inflammatory disorders (i.e., RFM, metritis, mastitis) and P/AI in all cows irrespective of parity. Metabolic disorders (i.e., MF, KET, LDA) were negatively associated with P/AI only in multiparous cows. Irrespective of parity, only uterine diseases (i.e., RFM, metritis) were significantly associated with PL. These results show that enrolling cows into a fertility protocol, such as DO, cannot overcome the carryover effects of inflammatory and metabolic disorders on P/AI and PL and highlight the importance of optimizing transition cow health as a prerequisite for achieving high fertility in a DO protocol.

Genetic selection for reduced health treatment costs in Holstein cows: implications from a long-term study.

The objective of this study was to estimate genetic parameters of health treatment cost of Holstein cows from producer-recorded health treatments in 8 herds over an 8-yr period of time. Genetic parameters of health treatment cost were estimated in first (n = 2,214), second (n = 1,487) and third (n = 800) parities of US Holstein cows. The health treatments were uniformly defined and consistently recorded by 8 high-performance dairy herds in Minnesota from 2008 to 2015. A fixed treatment cost was assigned to 14 types of health treatments, and the cost included the mean veterinary expense obtained from the veterinary clinics that serviced the 8 herds, pharmaceuticals, and labor cost. The labor cost was $18/h, and the time incurred for each type of health treatment was determined from interviews with the herd owners. The 14 types of health treatment costs were partitioned into 5 categories: mastitis (including mastitis diagnostic test), reproduction (cystic ovary, retained placenta, and metritis), lameness (hoof treatments), metabolic (milk fever, displaced abomasum, ketosis, and digestive), and miscellaneous (respiratory, injury, and other). Health treatment cost for each cow was summed by category within lactation and also across categories within lactation. The estimates of heritability for health treatment cost were 0.13, 0.04, 0.10, 0.12, and 0.04 for the mastitis, reproduction, lameness, metabolic, and miscellaneous categories, respectively, in first parity. Genetic correlations between categories of health treatment cost in first parity were greatest for mastitis and reproduction (r = 0.85); however, phenotypic correlations between all categories were small (r < 0.16). Total health treatment cost had a large genetic correlation with somatic cell score (0.93) and 305-d milk production (0.44) in first parity; however, the genetic correlation (-0.60) between total health treatment cost and udder depth in first parity indicated a genetic relationship exists between shallow udders and less total health treatment cost. Total health treatment cost across categories had a heritability estimate of 0.25 in first parity, 0.16 in second parity, and 0.17 in third parity. Consequently, genetic selection for reduced health treatment cost should be possible by using producer-recorded health treatment records supplemented with treatment costs.

Perspective: Transient postparturient hypocalcemia—A lactation-induced phenomenon of high-producing dairy cows

Milk fever is one of the most historically relevant diseases of dairy cows. It is caused by tremendous calcium (Ca) expenditure at the initiation of lactation, so severe that cows can no longer stand and, if left untreated, die. Fortunately, through prepartum nutritional improvements, this version of clinical hypocalcemia is rare in the United States. Nonetheless, the opinion that all versions of postpartum hypocalcemia are detrimental remains pervasive, which is particularly significant given that 50% of cows are subclinically hypocalcemic after calving. This has led to a variety of available management and treatment strategies, ranging from prepartum dietary programs to postpartum Ca gels and boluses, targeted at preventing hypocalcemia in dairy cows. Recent research has determined that postpartum dairy cows can experience different types of subclinical hypocalcemia: transient, persistent, or delayed. We now know cows experiencing transient hypocalcemia as part of the homeorhetic adaptation to lactation are the highest milk producers in modern dairy herds, whereas cows with hypocalcemia several days after calving experience disease and losses in milk production. Therefore, it is wrong to assume all postpartum hypocalcemia is detrimental and that treatment of all cases is considered necessary and beneficial. Research indicates that milk synthesis at the onset of lactation contributes to immediate postpartum hypocalcemia, and that the mammary gland is a critical factor in management of Ca homeostasis. However, cows differ in their ability to manage this phenomenon, and it is possible that immediate postpartum influences such as dry matter intake, inflammation, and immune activation affect appropriate Ca regulation in the days following calving.

Genetic evaluation of health costs in US organic Holstein calves and cows

Minimizing the incidence of disease on organic dairy farms is important for both economic and animal welfare purposes. The objective of this study was to estimate genetic parameters for total disease treatment costs using producer-recorded treatments in organic Holstein dairy calves and cows. Individual cow and calf health data were collected from 16 USDA certified organic farms from across the United States. Eleven of these farms provided treatment costs for some or all of the following cow health issues (mean cost): mastitis ($46.10), milk fever ($39.05), ketosis ($29.81), metritis ($28.66), retained placenta ($45.59), displaced abomasum ($439.71), lameness ($66.36), indigestion ($22.94), respiratory ($48.35), and died ($64.98). These farms also provided the following health costs for calves (mean cost): respiratory ($56.37) and scours ($25.21). Costs included consultant fees, therapeutics, and producer labor. The total lactational health cost (HCOST) was analyzed using animal models adjusted for the fixed effects of lactation and herd and the random effect of herd-year-season of calving with animal relationships based on the blending of pedigree and genomic relationships established from 2,347 genotyped cows. Along with HCOST, the binary traits stayability and presence of disease were included in a trivariate model such that lactations absent of disease were considered to be missing HCOST. To estimate the genetic relationship between nulliparous and primiparous health costs, a 2-trait linear model was fitted for total nulliparous health costs (NHCOST) and first lactation HCOST. The most expensive cow-lactation was $643.86 and 26.5% of lactations encountered disease. The heritability for HCOST was 0.03 ± 0.01, and the repeatability was 0.21 ± 0.01. The heritability of NHCOST was 0.06 ± 0.01, and the genetic correlation between NHCOST and HCOST was 0.98 ± 0.51. Traits representing the repeated nature of disease have a genetic component that should foster improved disease resistance among organic Holstein dairy cows. However, total cost of disease did not lead to gains in genetic variation over consideration of disease traits considered as binary variables and is a more laborious phenotype to obtain, diminishing its appeal for use in routine genetic evaluations.

Correlation of Serum Calcium with Enzymes Aspartate Aminotransfrase, Creatine Kinase and Mastitis in Postpartum Period in Dairy Cattle

Mastitis is inflammation of udder and its chances increases in hypocalcemia cases because sphincters of teat are loosened due to calcium-ion channel blockage. Cows those suffered milk fever have 8 times more chances of developing mastitis than other cows which haven’t suffered hypocalcaemia. The values of AST and CK are high in downer cows due to hypocalcemia as compared to healthy cows. Subclinical hypocalcaemia is one of the major complication occurring just after parturition in local and exotic breeds of cattle in Pakistan. It weakens the immune system of dairy animal and also decreases the production potential of animals thus causing serious economic losses in terms of decrease milk production of animal, decrease earning of animal and increased treatment cost due to secondary infection like mastitis occurred due to weakened immune function. The current study was aimed to the correlation of serum calcium with enzymes Creatine Kinase and Aspartate amino transferase and mastitis in postpartum period in dairy cattle. A total of 50 cattle (n=50) just after parturition were included in this study. The cattle were sampled in two ways. Firstly, 10ml blood was drawn aseptically into clot activator vacutainers from jugular vein. Secondly milk samples were taken from all four teats. First 2 milk strips were discarded and next strips were collected in aseptic test tubes. The samples were transported to Pathology laboratory, Department of Pathology, University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Lahore maintaining the cold chain and stored at -20 0C till further analysis. Correlation between calcium and creatin kinase comes out to be 0.279 which is weak positive correlation. Correlation between calcium and aspartate aminotransferase is also weak and comes out to be 0.111. Similarly, correlation between calcium and SCC also weak and comes out to be 0.193.This is the first study of correlation of calcium with CK, AST and SCC in dairy cattle after postpartum period.&#x0D; &#x0D;

Use of oral boluses comprised of readily absorbed calcium salts and Solanum glaucophyllum leaf administered a single time after calving to reduce hypocalcemia in dairy cows

Hypocalcemia is commonly observed in periparturient cows. If persistent beyond the first day of lactation, it contributes to poor milk production and other health problems (Neves et al., 2017). Oral Ca boluses can provide Ca for rapid absorption of Ca to support blood Ca concentration. Because their actions are short-lived (3-6 hrs), they are often administered at calving and again 12-24 hrs later. 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D (1,25 VD) and its analogs have been utilized to prevent milk fever, but must be given 1-3 days prior to parturition to be effective as 12-24 hrs are required to stimulate intestinal Ca absorption (Hove and Kris­tiansen, 1982). A major obstacle to the use of 1,25 VD to prevent hypocalcemia is administration within the effective window. Given too early, the dose must be repeated. Given too late, the cow can still suffer severe hypocalcemia. Solanum glaucophyl­lum (SG) is a plant whose leaves contain an inactive glycoside form of 1,25 VD. Within the rumen the glycoside is cleaved by rumen bacteria, liberating 1,25 VD which is rapidly absorbed into the blood. Our hypothesis is that administering a bolus with readily absorbable Ca and SG leaf will improve plasma Ca in periparturient cows when administered at the time of calv­ing. The Ca will sustain improved blood Ca concentrations for up to 12 hrs after calving and the SG leaf will stimulate intesti­nal Ca absorption from 12 hrs until 72 hrs after calving.

Health Treatment Cost of Holsteins in Eight High-Performance Herds.

Health treatments of Holstein cows (n = 2214) were recorded by the owners of eight high-performance dairy herds in Minnesota. Cows calved from March 2008 to October 2015, and 14 types of health treatments were uniformly defined across the herds. Specific types of health treatment were subsequently assigned a cost based on the mean veterinary cost obtained from the veterinary clinics that serviced the eight herds. A fixed labor cost for time (USD 18/h) associated with specific types of health treatment was determined based on interviews with the herd owners and was added to the veterinary cost. Health treatment cost was then partitioned into five health categories: mastitis (including mastitis diagnostic test), reproduction (cystic ovary, retained placenta, and metritis), lameness (hoof treatments), metabolic (milk fever, displaced abomasum, ketosis, and digestive), and miscellaneous (respiratory, injury, and other). Lactations of cows were divided into six intervals that corresponded with stage of lactation based on days in milk. The first interval of lactation was 30 days in length, followed by four intervals of 60 days each, and the final interval started on day 271 and had variable length because it continued to the end of lactation and included the dry period. Health treatment cost was summed within each interval of lactation and subsequently across lactations by parity. Statistical analysis by parity included the fixed effects of herd, interval, and the interaction of herd and interval, with interval regarded as a repeated measure of cows. Health treatment cost was highest during the first interval for all five parities of cows and ranged from USD 22.87 for first parity to USD 38.50 for fifth parity. Reproduction treatment cost was about one-half of the total health treatment cost during the first interval in all five parities. Metabolic treatment cost during the first interval ranged from USD 3.92 (in first parity) to USD 12.34 (in third parity). Compared to the other health categories, mastitis treatment cost was most evenly distributed across intervals of lactation in all parities. Lameness treatment cost was highest during mid- or late-lactation across parities and reflected the time when cows received routine hoof trimming. Additionally, treatment cost across health categories was summed across intervals of lactation for each cow, and the total health cost of cows varied substantially from herd to herd and ranged from USD 23.38 to USD 74.60 for first parity and usually increased with parity.

Association of precalving serum NEFA concentrations with postpartum diseases and reproductive performance in multiparous Holstein cows: Cut-off values.

High concentrations of NEFA relative to a defined reference or 'cut-point' values before calving can predict the risk of specific or collective periparturient disease events. A field-based cohort study was conducted to evaluate the value and critical points of serum nonesterified fatty acids (NEFA) at the precalving time to predict the occurrence of postpartum diseases and reproductive performance in dairy cows. Blood samples were taken from 521 high-yielding dairy cows at 1 week (±3days) before calving and NEFA levels were measured. Health and reproduction information of each cow includes dystocia, retained placenta, milk fever, metritis, mastitis, pregnancy in the first insemination and pregnancy in the first two inseminations, and culling in the first 60 days of lactation and milk production. Our results show that there are significant relationships between precalving NEFA with the probability of pregnancy at the first and the first two inseminations after calving. The cows that had NEFA concentrations less than 0.5mmol/L at the last week of pregnancy were 3.51 and 3.15 times more likely to be pregnant at first insemination and the first two inseminations, respectively. Also, our results showed that there are significant relationships between precalving NEFA concentration and the likelihood of dystocia and milk fever. The probability of dystocia and milk fever occurrence were 2.56 and 1.91 times greater in those cows that had NEFA concentrations more than 0.3mmol/L, respectively. The present results indicated that Increasing NEFA during the prepartum period could adversely affect the reproductive efficiency of dairy cows.

Repeat breeding: prevalence and potential causes in dairy cows at different milk pocket areas of Bangladesh

The objective of this study was to figure out the prevalence and probable causes of repeat breeding (RB) in dairy cows. Hence, a cross-sectional study was conducted on randomly selected 265 dairy farms in Sirajganj, Bogura, Rangpur, Satkhira, and Munshiganj districts of Bangladesh from December 2018 to February 2019. Data were collected through a direct interview method using a survey questionnaire. The reproductive organs of repeat breeder cows were examined for pathological, infectious, and functional reasons, and genital tract abnormalities. Additionally, the influence of nutrition, season, and age on the frequency of RB was recorded. The prevalence of RB was 28% among the 3824 cows investigated. Among the total repeat breeder cases, 72.54% of RB cases were found in Holstein-Friesian crossbred, 23.90% in Jersey crossbred, 1.50% in Sahiwal crossbred, and 2.06% in indigenous cows. The prevalence of RB was significantly highest (P < 0.01) in Satkhira (44.35%) and lowest in the Munshiganj district (15.87%). Data indicated that a major proportion of cows significantly (P < 0.05) faced RB problems due to functional causes (34.18%), followed by pathological causes (28.01%), genital tract abnormalities (21.32%), and infectious causes (16.49%). Furthermore, the cows were remarkably (P < 0.001) affected in RB during the summer season and nutritional deficient diseases like milk fever (70%). Age (3-7years) had a significant (P < 0.001) effect on the RB occurrence (90%) in crossbred cows. However, particular focus should be given to systematic breeding, balanced nutrition, artificial inseminator efficiency, and hygienic inseminating tools to reduce RB incidence in high-yielding crossbred cows.

Blood calcium concentration and performance in periparturient and early lactating dairy cows is influenced by plant bioactive lipid compounds

Previous studies ex vivo suggested that plant bioactive lipid compounds (PBLC) can increase ruminal calcium absorption. Therefore, we hypothesized that PBLC feeding around calving may potentially counteract hypocalcemia and support performance in postpartum dairy cows. The corresponding aim of the study was to investigate the effect of PBLC feeding on blood minerals in Brown Swiss (BS) and hypocalcemia-susceptible Holstein Friesian (HF) cows during the period from d -2 to 28 relative to calving and on milk performance until d 80 of lactation. A total of 29 BS cows and 41 HF cows were divided each into a control (CON) and PBLC treatment group. The latter was supplemented with 1.7 g/d menthol-rich PBLC from 8 d before expected calving to 80 d postpartum. Milk yield and composition, body condition score and blood minerals were measured. Feeding PBLC induced a significant breed × treatment interaction for iCa, supporting that PBLC increased iCa exclusively in HF cows; the increase was 0.03 mM over the whole period and 0.05 mM from d 1 to 3 after calving. Subclinical hypocalcemia was seen in one BS-CON and 8 HF-CON cows and 2 BS-PBLC and 4 HF-PBLC cows. Clinical milk fever was detected only in HF cows (2 HF-CON and one HF-PBLC). Other tested blood minerals, such as sodium, chloride, and potassium, as well as blood glucose, were neither affected by PBLC feeding nor breed, nor were their 2-way interactions, except for higher sodium levels in PBLC cows on d 21. Body condition score showed no effect of treatment, except for a lower body condition score in BS-PBLC compared with BS-CON at d 14. Dietary PBLC increased milk yield, milk fat yield, and milk protein yield at 2 consecutive dairy herd improvement test days. As indicated by treatment × day interactions, energy-corrected milk yield and milk lactose yield were increased by PBLC on the first test day only, and milk protein concentration decreased from test d 1 to test d 2 in CON only. The concentrations of fat, lactose, and urea, as well as somatic cell count, were not affected by treatment. The weekly milk yield over the first 11 wk of lactation was 29.5 kg/wk higher for PBLC versus CON across breeds. It is concluded that the applied PBLC induced a small but measurable improvement of calcium status in HF cows in the study period and had additional positive effects on milk performance in both breeds.

PreCowKetosis: A Shiny web application for predicting the risk of ketosis in dairy cows using prenatal indicators

Ketosis is considered to be the most important metabolic disease affecting dairy herds, surpassing ruminal acidosis and milk fever. On dairy farms, assessment and monitoring of ketosis risk are necessary for the health management of dairy cows. Changes in the content of hematological and serum biochemical parameters are commonly used to monitor ketosis in dairy cows. However, the collection and detection of these indicators are complex and may lead to stress reactions in cows. This study attempted to predict the risk of ketosis in dairy cows using machine learning models based on noninvasive prenatal indicators of parity, body condition score, dystocia score, daily rumination time, daily activity, and season of calving. Results showed the extreme gradient boosting (XGBoost) model had the highest prediction ability and the most accuracy, compared to random forest (RF), support vector machine (SVM), artificial neural network (ANN), and K-nearest neighbor (KNN). In the XGBoost model, daily rumination time (60.15%) and daily activity (16.73%) were identified with the highest percentage contribution to the model, followed by parity (10.41%), body condition score (6.42%), season of calving (4.23%), and dystocia score (2.06%). The probability of ketosis increased with decreasing daily rumination time and daily activity. Moreover, parity 3+ and summer may also increase the probability of ketosis. Finally, an open Shiny web application for predicting the risk of ketosis in dairy cows based on the XGBoost model was developed (https://2xzl2o-neaop.shinyapps.io/PreCowKetosis/). The application PreCowKetosis can provide decision support for researchers and farmers to prevent ketosis in dairy cows.

EFFECT OF SUPPLEMENTATION OF MINERALS ON THE PRODUCTIVE AND REPRODUCTIVE PERFORMANCE OF LACTATING CATTLE AND BUFFALO

A significant part of a complete dairy feeding program is the mineral-vitamin component. Physiologically, minerals are involved in reproduction, lactation, cow/calf health during pregnancy and cow recovery after calving and general herd health. Highly productive dairy animals have much greater needs for minerals and vitamins than low-producing.Concentrations of minerals andvitamins in feeds can be extremely variable. Dairy animals commonly need 3 vitamins and 17 mineral for their optimal productivity. Even the deficiency of any of these can result in health, reproduction and milk production problems. The antioxidant, vitamin E and carotene are beneficial in reducing mastitis. Vitamins (D, E, C and carotene) and minerals (Cu, Zn, and Se) are needed for enhanced immune response.Almost all the members of B.comlex group, C vitamin K2 are synthesized in rumenbut ruminant diet should contain sufficient cobalt for B12 synthesis. Vitamin A is neither synthesized in the body nor contributed by bacteria and it is the only vitamin, which may be deficient supply under many conditions. Therefore its supply seems to be critical.Vitamin E content of forage is highly variable and is effective in reducing gossypol toxicity. Generally it is assumed that the dairy animals with functional rumen do not develop deficiency. Different research reports suggest the need for supplemental biotin, thiamin and niacin for dairy cattle. Pre-partum anionic diets should be supplemented to avoid Milk fever. High phosphorus diets do not improve milk production or reproduction but there is environmental concern from use of excess P. Manganese has its role in ovulation and fertility of dairy animals. Grazing dairy animals should have access to high quality freechoice mineral mixtures. Mineral and Vitamin supplementation should especially be managed before the periods of increased trace mineral demand such as calving, joining, dry-off and growth.

Early detection and effective treatment of milk fever in high-yield dairy cows

Production diseases arise from management practices, leading to metabolic imbalances in high-yielding dairy cows. Milk fever, or parturient paresis, is a significant production ailment occurring during the periparturient phase. The heightened milk production during this period places an increased demand on calcium, often resulting in milk fever (hypocalcemia) characterized by abnormally low blood calcium levels. Clinical manifestations of milk fever include reduced appetite, tetanus, low body temperature, paresis, lateral recumbency, and, if untreated, progression to coma and death. Although sporadic, the incidence of milk fever can be high among susceptible cows on individual farms, particularly those with high milk production. Various factors contribute to increased milk fever incidence, including parturition, lactation initiation, advanced age, breed, and diet. Intravenous treatment with calcium borogluconate is the standard approach for parturient paresis. Early and proper treatment results in an excellent prognosis for affected cows. Economic losses due to milk fever encompass deaths, premature culling, treatment expenses, and reduced milk production in subsequent lactations. Consequently, effective milk fever management is crucial not only for mitigating production losses but also for preserving the well-being of the animals.

Assessment of the Effects of Supplemental Rumen Protected B Vitamins and Choline for Periparturient Cows: A Meta-Analysis of 28 Feeding Studies

There are currently no prescribed requirements for B vitamins or choline for dairy cows during the transition period, but many recent studies have shown a variety of benefits from supplying these nutrients to periparturient cows. The purpose of this research effort was to determine the potential benefit of including a rumen protected blend composed of B vitamins (riboflavin, folic acid, vitamin B12) and choline (RPBlend, Jefo Nutrition Inc., St. Hyacinthe, QC, Canada) for dairy cows during the transition period, based on results from 28 on-farm feeding studies (USA-12, Mexico-7, Canada-4, Chile-3, Australia-1, Brazil-1) conducted between 2011 and 2018. All farms participated in monthly herd management record keeping systems and were selected to participate in studies due to their excellent management. Meta-analyses in which risk differences were determined were used to assess the effects of the supplemental RPBlend on health parameters and reproduction. The effect size was used as the determinant of the possible contribution of RPblend on the yields of milk, energy corrected milk (ECM), fat and protein yields during the first four weeks of lactation. Results showed that the inclusion of RPblend reduced (P the displaced abomasum and milk fever did not diminish (P > 0.10) with the inclusion of the BPBlend. The incidence rate of subclinical ketosis, determined as blood beta hydroxy butyric acid greater than 1.2 mM was lower (P (than those not supplemented. The proportion of cows confirmed pregnant by 100 days in milk was greater for cows given the BPBlend (P 0.10) while the yield of milk protein was greater (P < 0.05) when the cows received the blend. These results suggest that the inclusion of rumen protected B vitamins and choline can assist cow health, reproduction and production at the start of lactation.