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Feeding the Dairy Cow
Have to Understand the Lactation Curve
Your Handout
Lactation Curve
Lactation curveGradually increases following calving
Peaks at 45-90 days in milk (DIM)
Stage 1 is where most metabolic diseases occur.
Cures
There are many “band aid” cures that will make the dairy producer feel better that they are doing something at the moment, but the real problem is solving the reason it occurs and “fixing it”
10 wk
Highfertility
No metritis
Critical Days
0
-8 wk
44 wk oflactation
-3 wk
Deliver a healthy calf No milk fever
No retained placenta
Increase DMI
No fatty liver
No displaced abom.
No ketosis
Limited loss of BCS
No mastitis
High peakproduction
6-8 wk
2 31 5 64 7 8 109 11
Energy balance- - - - - - 0 + + +
Managing Cow During Critical Days
-8
Dried-off
Wk
Far-off
-4
Calving stressDepressed Immune system
Acute calcium demand
Calving“Close up”
0-1-2-3
Successfulinsemination
Bred
Fat mobilization
High forage diet High Conc. DietHighest Req.Lowest Req.
Slow rise in DMI(rumen capacity)
Lowest rumencapacity & 50% loss in absorption by papillae
Severedropin DMI
Early lactationDry period
Production &
reproare set for
thenext 200-
days
DMI is the Key
Dry matter intake (DMI) General shape of curve is same as for
milk Peak is later in lactation than milk
curve
About Metabolic Disorders
Metabolic disorders occur primarily in early lactation period of great stress and drastic changes in
nutritional requirement
Energy metabolism (ketosis, fatty liver, rumen acidosis)
Minerals and vitamin metabolism (milk fever, metritis, udder edema, retained placenta)
About Metabolic Disorders
Metabolic disorders are correlated with each other: A cow with milk fever is 4 x more likely to
also suffer from retained placenta and 16 x more likely to develop ketosis than a cow with no milk fever.
Early detection and prevention is far better than treatment
DMI
Dry matter intake Factors used to estimate DMI: body weight milk production fat test days in milk
Overview of Metabolic Disorders in Dairy Cattle
Metabolic Disorders
2- Udder edema1- Hypocalcemia (Milk Fever)
2- Ketosis (Acetonemia)1- Fatty Liver Syndrome
3- Retained Placenta
5- Displaced Abomasum
3- Rumen Acidosis
6- Milk Fat Depression
Energy-Related Disorders
Minerals & Vitamins-Related Disorders
4- Laminitis (Locomotion Score)
Disorders Related to Mineral Metabolism
1 - Hypocalcemia (Milk Fever)
Hypocalcemia and milk fever
Most cows suffer from (sub-clinical) hypocalcemia in early lacation
Clinical hypocalcemia or milk fever is a misnomer: cows do not have a “fever”, but rather are “paralyzed.”
The disease has a low heritability, but has a genetic component as Jerseys and Swedish red have a higher incidence than other breeds.
Hypocalcemia and milk fever
The disease is related to age and occurs more in third lactation than second or first lactation.
Cows having milk fever once are apt to repeat
More than about 5-8 % incidence in a herd is cause for concern
If you find milk fever in dry cows, there is a problem with your mineral balance of Ca:P
Prevention
Calcium levels during Close-up period Check forage levels?
DCAD level – negative 20 (neg 17 -23) Urine pH 5.5 to 6.0 during the close up time
Use palatable sources to lower DCAD Soy-clor, Bio-clor, Molasses Anionic Salts - less palatable
Disorders Related to Mineral Metabolism
2 - Retained Placenta
Retained Placenta Overview
Retention of placental membrane for more than 12 hours after calving *(twins do not count)
Often time this condition is due to bacterial infections, but it might also have a nutritional component
Deficiency of selenium and vitamin E and imbalance of Calcium may be implicated in increased incidences of retained placenta
Prevention
Provide 2400 – 2500 IU Vitamin E during close up
Provide selenium in combination with vitamin E
Monitor forage Calcium levels This can sneak up on you!
Disorders Related to Energy Metabolism
3 - Ketosis
Ketosis or Acetonemia
Glucose lost infeces: ~0 g/d
Body reserve: 0 g
Glucose secretion in milk (as lactose): 2.kg/d
(for 35 kg/d of milk)
Intake during Dry period: ~0 g/d Lactation: ~0 g/d
Insufficient glucose is the source of ketosis or acetonemia:Blood concentration of glucose drops from 50 mg/100 ml to < 25-30 mg/100 ml Signals cow to digest body fat!
Ketosis Occurs 2 to 4 weeks after calving (peak
incidence is about 3 week) Affect most high producing cows (sub-
clinically) in early lactation
Detection: Urine - Ketostik
Ketosis
“Typical” ketone (acetone) smell in the breath;
Lack of appetite, especially for grain associated with drop in milk yield;
Decreased rumen mobility and production of “dry feces”
Loss of weight, gaunt appearance, and dullness
Symptoms:
Ketosis - Prevention
Avoid excessive fatness at calving (proper BCS) < 4.25
Smooth dietary transition between dry cow ration and early lactation ration
Close-up ration should contain same feeds with anions and Niacin
No Bicarb Gradual change in forage types Gradual change in amount of concentrates
Disorders Related to Energy Metabolism
4 - Fatty Liver
Lower Intake at Calving Means Increased Fat Mobilization
(Blood NEFA)
Grummer, 1993
5
10
15
20
25
Dry Matter IntakeKg/day
Weeks relative to calving
0-1-2 1 2 3
200
400
600
800
1000
Non-EsterifiedFatty Acids um/l
30 -35%intakedepression
300%Increased fatmobilization
Triglycerides
Adipose tissue
NEFA FFA
Liver
Key:NEFA = Non-Esterified Fatty Acids FFA = Free fatty acidsTG-r-LP = Triglyceride-rich-lipoproteins or Very Low Density Lipoprotein (VLDL)
Excess Fat Mobilization Means “Liver Problem”
Energy
Ketones
Triglyceride
TG-r-LP Storage
Fatty liver
FFA
Milk fat (Triglycerides)
GlycerolEnergy
TG-r-LPKetones
Low blood glucoseLow insulin
++
Ketosis - Prevention
Supplementation with niacin Niacin supplementation (6-12g/d) seem to
work best when forage and grain are fed separately (greatest fluctuation of glucose, insulin, NEFA and ketones in the blood.)
Band Aid = Metabolic Switch
Propylene glycol drench or paste Propylene glycol is a glucose precursor
which is effective in reducing blood NEFA and the severity of fatty liver at calving and blood ketones after calving (~300 g/cow/day for 20 days starting 10 days before calving).
Can add niacin to drench
5- Displaced Abomasum
Cross Section Abdominal Cavity
A
BC
L
B
C
L
A
Abomasum = A
Rumen = B
C = Omasum
L = Liver
Displaced Abomasum (DA)
Sharp and sudden drop in feed intake
“Ping Test”
80% of DAs occur within the first month of lactation.
Displaced Abomasum (DA)
Exact cause is unknown, but incidence has been associated with:
High concentrate diet during the transition period and/or early lactation (high ruminal gas formation and passage into the abomasum)
(Difficult) calving leaving “open space” into the abdominal cavity
Stress conditions that limit dry matter intake and gut fill in early lactation (e.g., over-conditioned cows, overcrowding, etc.,)
Displaced Abomasum (DA)
Avoid over-conditioned cows (body condition score >4.0)
Begin concentrate feeding (0.5-0.75% of body weight) during the last three weeks before calving (“close-up” ration)
Feed long and / or coarsely chopped good quality forage during the dry period and early lactation.
Keep a minimum of 50% forage in the diet Minimize stress due to other peri-parturient
diseases (milk fever, ketosis)
Prevention
Management is implicated in too many cases of DA’s!
Disorders Related to Energy Metabolism
6- Rumen Acidosis
Acidity In The Digestive System
pH1.0 - 2.06.0 - 8.0 6.0 - 7.0
7
2
Feed
Feces
(Forestomachs)Glandularstomach
LiverPancreas
Small intestineLarge intestine
HCl
Saliva
“Average” pH vs. Length of Time Under 6.0
pH o
f ru
men
con
tent
Hours
5.5
6.0
5.0
4.5
24181260
Sub Acute Rumen Acidosis
- Poor appetite- Little cellulose digestion- Poor microbial growth.
- Good appetite- Good cellulose digestion- Good microbial growth.
Rumen Acidosis
Length of time under pH 6.0 and cow-to-cow variations must be taken into account in the diagnosis of rumen acidosis
Acute Rumen Acidosis - Deep physiological changes-
Rumen Acidosis (Prevention) - Effective Fiber Avoid ration with more
than 50% Concentrates Limit high starch
concentrates (corn) Maintain Sufficient
“Effective Fiber” Ration NDF > 32% Ration Effective NDF > 22%
Gradual Changes in diets Total Mixed Rations (TMR)
7 – LAMINITIS
Locomotion Score
Locomotion Score
Walk rapidly and confidently, making long strides with a level back
Walk more slowly, making shorter strides with an arched back
Difficult to detect any weight transfer from affected limb
Score = 1
Score = 2
Often thin,walk slowly making deliberate short steps with an arched back and frequent stops
Usually very thin, move very slowly making frequent stops to rest affected limb, which is only partially weight-bearingGrinding of teeth and/or drooling of saliva are signs of acute pain
Score = 3
Score = 4
Weight transfer will cause sinking of the dew claws on the contra-lateral limb Encounter some
difficulty turningStand with an arched back and frequently rest lame foot
Extreme difficulty turning
Stand and walk with an arched back
8- Milk Fat Depression
Volatile fatty acids(VFA) produced
in the rumen
Milk productionand composition
Propionic Acid
Milk production(kg/day)
Total VFAproduction(moles/day)
Milk Fat Depression and Forage to Concentrate Ratio
Rumen pH 5.55.0
6.06.5
Acetic Acid
Butyric Acid
Fat in themilk (%)
50
Concentrates20 % ration dry matter80 % ration dry matter
Forages 80 60 4020 40 60
60 %
20
30
40
Udder edema Exact cause is unknown, but incidence of
udder edema has been associated with management and feeding practices during the dry period: Excess salt (>0.5 lb/d, 230 g/d or 2.5% diet DM)
aggravates the problem
Excess energy, sodium and potassium in pre-partum diet;
First calf-heifers (primiparous cows) in excess BCS at calving show an increased incidence of udder edema.
Cause:
So How Do We Feed
1. Forages should be of very high quality to encourage intake of roughage
NDF 32% ADF 22% 2. Maintain at least 45% of ration DM in
forages Corn Silage Alfalfa Hay Other Silages Other Hays
So How Do We Feed
3. Supply Adequate Energy (NFC <40%) Carbohydrates – grain (starch & sugar <30%)
Corn Sorghum Other Grains
Lipids (EE 3.5-5.5%) tallow by-pass fat (Megalac, Energy Booster) Pay attention to specific LCFA
So How Do We Feed
4. Feed high quality protein sources Ration DM Protein% 14.5- 18.5% Soybean meal Cottonseed meal Blood meal Fish Meal
So How Do We Feed
5. Allow rumen synthesis of proteins by feeding a balance of forage, energy and protein precursors. Watch manure for indicators of acidosis Watch manure for tightness or looseness
So How Do We Feed
6. Balance remaining fraction or ration for minerals, vitamins, etc Calcium ~1% Phosphorus~.35% Potassium 0.0-1.1% + DCAD Balance Magnesium .35-40% Vitamin A – 240 (KIU/day)
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