Week 1 Flashcards

1
Q

What are 5 important components of history to gather for a sick dairy cow?

A
  1. days in milk (DIM)
  2. feed intake (if it is known)
  3. milk production and if it has changed
  4. previous medical problems (dystocia, retained placenta, milk fever, etc.)
  5. treatments that have already been performed
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2
Q

What does the acronym LUMMAR stand for with regard to examination of a sick dairy cow?

A

Lungs
Uterus
Mammary
Metabolic
Abomasum
Rumen

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3
Q

T/F: If you cannot find the cause of sickness in a dairy cow, the most likely culprit is the lungs

A

true

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4
Q

what organ system is the most common cause of problems in dairy cows during the first 2 weeks postpartum?

A

uterus

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5
Q

T/F: cows can have severe local infections, and be fine systemically.

A

true

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6
Q

____________ is NOT a good indicator of whether a cow’s problem is local or systemic.

A

milk production

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7
Q

T/F: most mastitis infections are systemic and cause death

A

false – most are local and do not cause sick cows

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8
Q

T/F: the metabolic condition known as “milk fever” in dairy cows can be clinical or subclinical

A

true – this condition is called hypocalcemia.

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9
Q

Nervous ketosis is rare and usually causes problems towards what time period?

A

peak lactation (30 DIM)

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10
Q

What condition in dairy cows is usually secondary to another issue that caused the cow to go off feed?

A

subclinical ketosis

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11
Q

________ is a herd subclinical problem usually. But, in moderate to severe cases, cows can be off-feed, down in milk, have diarrhea, and decreased rumen motility.

A

acidosis

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12
Q

what are the 3 types of issues that can arise with the abomasum?
Bonus: which one is most serios?

A

LDA
RDA
RTA most serious

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13
Q

This describes what condition?
normal milk with elevated SCC

A

subclinical mastitis

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14
Q

This describes what condition?
Abnormal milk and normal cow

A

local mastitis

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15
Q

This describes what condition?
Abnormal milk and abnormal cow (fever, dehydration, depression)

A

systemically ill case of mastitis

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16
Q

What pathogens cause the most systemic (toxic) mastitis cases?

A

coliforms (E. coli, Klebsiella – gram - environmental pathogens)

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17
Q

Describe the “classic case” of mastitis

A

depressed
>50% reduction in milk production
8-10% dehydrated
hard swollen quarter
watery milk (brown or orange)

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18
Q

If 21/200 (10%) of your cows are sick with coliform mastitis, would you consider this disease as a problem on the farm?

A

yes.

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19
Q

What is case fatality rate?

A

treated that died / total # treated

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20
Q

What are the 3 possible explanations for lack of treatment success?

A
  1. super bug
  2. slow detection of disease
  3. bad treatment protocol
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21
Q

You have lack of treatment success on your farm, how do you determine if this is due to a super bug?

A

rule out slow detection of disease and having a bad treatment protocol by asking more questions and trying appropriate treatments.

22
Q

What is the only thing you can do if the problem on your farm truly is a “super bug”?

A

adjust management and prevent spread.

23
Q

You have lack of treatment success on your farm, how do you determine if the problem was lack of timely diagnosis?

A

gather more information about onset of symptoms, as well as other changes that have recently occurred.

24
Q

What 3 things can you observe from afar (physical exam wise)?

A
  1. cud chewing / eating
  2. respiratory rate
  3. general attitude
25
Q

T/F: 50% of cows with peritonitis do NOT have a fever, meaning some cows with severe systemic illness may have sub/normal/elevated temps

A

true

26
Q

what is the normal # rumen contractions per 2 minutes?

A

3 every 2 minutes

27
Q

If the paralumbar fossa is empty, this can be an indicator of the cow being …

A

off feed and/or dehydrated.

28
Q

T/F: there are NO normal pings on the LEFT side of the abdomen

A

true
you place your stethoscope on a rib and flick 2 rubs on either side; if you hear a ping within the last 5-6 ribs, there is an LDA.

29
Q

T/F: LDA pings in the left paralumbar fossa

A

false – it pings over the last 5-6 left ribs

30
Q

where is the ping heard for rumen void/ off feed?

A

left paralumbar fossa

31
Q

where is the ping heard for free abdominal gas (ie peritonitis or recent abdominal surgery)?

A

dorsal aspect of side (ie above ribs and PLF); can occur on both sides.

32
Q

You are flicking a cow to listen for pings and you get a ping over the last 5-6 left ribs and the left paralumbar fossa, what are the issues with this cow?

A

LDA and rumen void (off feed because LDA)

33
Q

how do you estimate dehydration in cows?

A

for every second the skin stays tented = 1% dehydration
if the eyes are sunken = >7%

34
Q

Are there normal pings on the right side of a cow?
bonus: what is unique about this ping?

A

yes – right paralumbar fossa.
this is where the spiral colon or cecum is located; the ping does NOT extend past the last rib and it is usually no larger than a flat hand.

unique: This ping is NOT consistent**

35
Q

Where would the ping occur for an RDA or RTA?

A

covers 3-4 ribs
very prominent and consistent

36
Q

Cecal torsion, a rare condition, can have a similar ping to RDA. What differentiates this ping?

A

it extends back into the right PLF and should be palpable per rectum.

37
Q

Why do we need to examine cow manure?

A

assess quantity and consistency.
are there any undigested fiber particles? chronic LDA, rumen not working properly –> poor fiber digestion (escaped fermentation)
watery diarrhea?

38
Q

Describe abnormal uterine discharge in a cow?

A

fetid odor, watery, reddish-black

39
Q

what are the 5 different methods of bovine restraint?

A
  1. gates
  2. lariats
  3. headgates
  4. chutes
  5. chemical restraint
40
Q

You should never rope a cow unless…

A

you have a plan for where to tie the animal up.

41
Q

what are the 2 types of headgates?

A
  1. manual
  2. automatic
42
Q

what are the advantages to manual headgates?

A

animals enter better
the next animal can enter while the current is exiting
hole opens wider
holds young and adults w/o adjustment

43
Q

what are the disadvantages to manual headgates?

A

easier escapes
difficult to work them alone
may be physically harder

44
Q

What are the advantages of an automatic headgate?

A

easy to work alone
difficult to escape

44
Q

what are the disadvantages to automatic headgates?

A

not really automatic
animals less likely to stick head through
cant have next animal coming in while one is exiting
increased chance of choking if animal goes down

45
Q

Describe the difference between headgate and headchute?

A

headgate only holds head, headchute has an entire facility for the body too and allow for better access to the animal/better restraint. chutes are more expensive.

46
Q

what are headlocks?

A

headlocks are used to gather all cows at once with feed.

47
Q

what is a ‘no back’?

A

bars that drop down behind the cow and prevent them from backing up.

48
Q

what additional restraint methods can be used?

A

tail jack
halter
nose lead
cloth over eyes
neck extender
dart gun

49
Q

Describe the differences between the temple grandin tub design versus the bud box design?

A

temple grandin – round tub with closed sides that do not allow for visualization, curved alleyway that leads into chute
bud box – square area, requires a person to get in with the cows to pressure them into going into the straight alleyway into the chute.

50
Q

what are the 2 types of chutes for foot trimming?

A
  1. lay over chute – all 4 feet at one time
  2. standing chute – one foot at a time
51
Q

what are the most common design flaws when it comes to pens/chutes/facilities?

A
  1. chute too wide***
  2. pens too large
  3. inadequate # pens for sorting
  4. poor placement of gates
  5. not enough gates
  6. confusing animal flow