Effect of Metabolic Diseases on Dry Matter Consumption and Production Parameters

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1 Effect of Metabolic Diseases on Dry Matter Consumption and Production Parameters Richard L. Wallace, Gene C. McCoy, Thomas R. Overton, and Jimmy H. Clark TAKE-HOME MESSAGES Postpartum metabolic diseases have a significant effect on dry matter intake and milk production in early lactation. Body weight loss may become excessive for cows experiencing ketosis and/or displaced abomasum. Days to conception may be longer for cows experiencing retained placenta and/or metritis. Mature equivalent milk, projected at 60 days in lactation, tends to be lower in cows suffering ketosis and/or displaced abomasum. INTRODUCTION High producing dairy cows are most susceptible to metabolic diseases during the periparturient period. During the first few days of lactation, milk production increases more rapidly than dry matter intake (DMI). Maintaining high DMI is essential to attain optimal milk production. The prepartum diet, body condition score, and environmental and managerial conditions affect DMI. Postpartum disease events have an even greater impact on DMI. Objectives of this study were to determine the effect of adverse health events on DMI, milk production, body weight, reproductive indices, and mature equivalent (ME) production of dairy cows. Experimental design Forty-eight multiparous Holstein cows from the University of Illinois dairy herd were monitored for the first 20 days of lactation. Cows calved between September 2, 1994 and February 9, Dry matter intake and milk production were measured daily, and each adverse health event was recorded. Disease events recorded included milk fever (MF), retained placenta (RP), metritis (MET), ketosis (KET), displaced abomasum (DA), and mastitis (MAST). Body weight at calving and at approximately 20 days postpartum, average days open, and services per conception were recorded. Projected 305 day ME milk production and composition were determined at 60 days postpartum. RESULTS Forty six of 48 cows completed the trial. The mean daily DMI per cow was 20.9 pounds at the beginning of the trial, increased approximately one pound per day over the 20 days, and averaged 42.7 pounds at the end of the 20 day period.

2 Milk production averaged 65.5 pounds per day during the trial. Body weight averaged 1412 pounds before calving and 1324 pounds at 20 days postpartum. The projected 305 day ME yields of milk, fat, and protein at day 60 postcalving were 20235, 677, and 623 pounds per cow, respectively. Thirty-one cows conceived, averaging 1.7 services per conception and 111 days open. Twentyfour cows (52.2 percent) had at least one adverse health event and 22 cows (47.8 percent) did not experience a postpartum disease event. The prevalence of MF, RP, MET, KET, DA, and MAST was 6.5, 21.7, 4.3, 23.9, 19.6, and 13.0 percent, respectively. Two cows had twins; one of which developed KET and DA. Of the three cows that had MF, one had RP and one developed MAST. Of the six cows that had MAST, two had RP, one had MF, and one had KET. Cows were categorized as having no disease event (NONE), one or more disease events (EVENT), retained placenta and/or metritis (RP/MET), or displaced abomasum and/or ketosis (DA/KET). There were 22, 24, 10, and 13 cows, respectively, in each category. Mean daily DMI and yields of milk were determined for each cow and group means calculated. Group means were tabulated for body weight and reproductive indices. Figure 1 illustrates the relationships between DMI and days in milk (DIM) for each disease/health category. The mean daily DMI of cows with NONE and EVENT were significantly different (P<0.05) during the 20-day period. Intake of dry matter by cows with NONE was greater than by cows with EVENT. The mean daily DMI of cows with NONE was significantly greater (P<0.05) than for RP/MET during the first 13 days postpartum. The mean daily DMI of cows with NONE was significantly greater (P<0.05) than DMI of cows with DA/KET for the entire 20-day trial.

3 Figure 2 depicts the relationships between milk production and DIM for each disease/health category. The mean daily milk production of cows with NONE was significantly greater (P<0.05) from days 5 through 20 than those with EVENT. The mean daily milk production for cows with RP/MET and DA/KET was significantly less (P<0.05) than for cows with NONE.

4 Mean body weight loss during the first 20 days of lactation is depicted in Figure 3. Cows unaffected by a postpartum disease event (NONE) lost approximately 75 pounds in 20 days, but cows that experienced a disease event lost over 100 pounds. The DA/KET cows lost nearly 120 pounds during the first 20 days of lactation. The cows that experienced RP/MET had more days open (20 days) when compared to cows without a disease event.

5 Figure 4 compares the projected 305 ME milk production for the different groups of cows. Cows without a disease event were projected at 60 days in lactation to have higher 305 day ME-MILK (20,780 pounds) than cows that did not experience an event (19,738 pounds). The difference between DA/KET and NONE for milk yield (18,901 pounds and 20,780 pounds, respectively) was significant (P<0.05).