Transition cow management Flashcards
When is the transition period?
4 weeks before and after calving
Proper transition practices will improve?
Health and welfare by reducing metabolic disease post calving
Profitability by delivering a live calf/successful lactation and not having to treat the cow
Outcomes of a good TCM program?
Almost no clincial milk fever
Low occurrence of health problem post calving
Low culling and death rates in first 2 weeks post calving
Higher fertility
More lactations
Less time spend managing sick cows
What cows high a higher risk of hypocalcaemia?
Older cows due to reduced absorption of bone Ca
Jerseys have twice the incidence of Holsteins
What are some disease that can follow after hypocalcaemia and what does it do to the immune system?
Hypomagnesemia, ketosis and fatty liver, udder oedema, abomasa displacement, dystocia, retained foetal membranes, metritis
Decreases the function of the immune system
How do we establish a successful lactation?
Adapting rumen to high ME density diet
Ensuring high DM intake
Meeting higher demands for Ca –> late preg + milk production
Minimising impact of lipid mobilisation on liver function
Meeting demands of foetus and udder for nutrients
What happens if you feed too much grain to unadapted cows?
Sub-acute lactic acidosis
Acute lactic acidosis
Rumen adaptation is achieved by?
Feeding lefty phase 3 pasture low in P that promotes salivary buffers, rumen wall development and rumen fibrinolytic activity
Gradual increase in cereal grains to maintain population in fibrinolytic bacteria, promote growth of lactate utiliser’s and suppresses growth of strep bovis
Rumen adaptation results in?
Increased rumen volume and muscular hypertrophy
Elongation and flattening of papillae increased SA and absorptive capacity
High in fibrinolytic bacteria
High in D- and L-lactate utilising bacteria
Low in D-lactate producing bacteria
Adequate levels of dry matter intake are achieved when?
Water is fresh Grazing is sufficient Conserved forages are high quality Supplements are high in starch Social hierarchy is establish before transition period
What is the requirement of Ca before and after calving?
Before - 30g (15g in faecal and urine lost and 15g to foetal growth
After - Requirement increases 2-4 fold needing 80g of Ca
Where does the extra Ca come from post calving?
Mobilised from bone and from increased rate of dietary Ca absorption
What is DCAD and what does the DCAD level help prevent?
(Na + K) - (Cl + S)
Helps prevent hypocalcaemia and periparturient paresis (milk fever)
What level do you want DCAD to be at pre-calving and how do you achieve this?
Around -200mEq/kg DM
Feeding grass pasture or hay that in low in K
Anionic salts (CaCl2, CaSO4, MgCl2, MgSO4, NH4Cl and (NH4)2SO4) and acids (HCl, H2SO4)
How many weeks before calving do you want to be feeding a negative DCAD diet?
2-3 weeks
