Managing the transition period of dairy cows to prevent major metabolic postpartum disorders


Published: Nov 21, 2017
Keywords:
dairy cows transition period metabolic disorders prevention
C. N. BROZOS
E. KALAITZAKIS
N. PANOUSIS
Abstract

The transition period refers to the time between 3-4 weeks prior to and 4 weeks after calving. This is the period with the highest incidence of metabolic and other periparturient disorders. Many of these disorders interrelated and often coincide. Proper management and nutrition of the transition cow are critical for obtaining maximum dry matter intake, good health, increased reproductive efficiency and optimum milk production in the following lactation. The present review is comprised from two parts. In the first one, selected information is provided concerning the most important metabolic diseases of the transition period (hypocalcemia, ketosis) and, in brief, how hypocalcemia is interrelated to other diseases (mastitis, metritis, retained fetal membranes and abomasal displacement). In the second part, up-to-date nutritional methods applied in the transition period to prevent these metabolic periparturient diseases, with emphasis in hypocalcemia, are described.

Article Details
  • Section
  • Review Articles
Downloads
Download data is not yet available.
References
Breukink HJ (1991) Abomasal displacement, etiology, pathogenesis, treatment and prevention. Bovine Pract, 26:148-153.
Brogley MA, Cruz M, Cheung HS (1999) Basic calcium phosphate crystal induction of collagenase 1 and stromelysin expression is dependent on a p42/44 mitogen-activated protein kinase signal transduction pathway. J Cell Physiol, 180: 215-224.
Correa MT, Erb Η, Scarlett J (1993) Path Analysis for seven postpartum disorders of holstein cows. J Dairy Sci, 76:1305-1312.
Curtis CR, Erb ΗΝ, Sniffen CJ, Smith RD, Powers PA, Smith M, White ME, Hillman RB, Pearson EJ (1983) Association of parturient hypocalcemia with 8 periparturient disorders in Holstein cows. Am Vet Med Assoc, 183: 559-561.
Curtis CR, Erb ΗΝ, Sniffen C J, Smith RD, Kronfeld DS (1985) Path -Analysis of dry period nutrition, postpartum metabolic and reproductive disorders, and mastitis in Holstein cows. JDairy Sci, 6: 2347-2360.
Daniel RC (1983) Motility of the rumen and abomasum during hypocalcemia. Can J Comp Med, 47: 276-280.
Degaris PJ, Lean IJ, Rabiee AR, Heuer C (2008) Effects of increasing days of exposure to prepartum transition diets on milk production and milk composition in dairy cows. Aust Vet J, 86 (9): 341-351.
Dirksen G, Liebich HG, Brosi G, Hagemeister H, Mayer E (1984) Rumen mucosa morphology and fatty-acid absorption – significant factors for health and production. / Vet Med A, 31: 414-430.
Dobson H, Tebble JE, Smith RF, Ward WR (2001) Is stress all that important? Therìogenology, 55: 65-73.
Dohoo IR, Martin SW (1984) Disease, production and culling in Holstein-Friesian cows: IV. Effects of disease on production. Prev Vet Med, 2: 755-770.
Ducusin RJT, Uzuka Y, Satoh E, Otani M, Nishimura M, Tanabe S, Sarashina Τ (2003) Effects of extracellular Ca2+ on phagocytosis and intracellular Ca2+ concentrations in polymorphonuclear leukocytes of postpartum dairy cows. Res Vet Sci, 75: 27-32.
Duffield TF, Kelton DF, Leslie KE, Lissemore KD, Lumsden JH (1997) Use of test day milk fat and milk protein to detect subclinical ketosis in dairy cattle in Ontario. Can Vet J, 38: 713-718.
Duffield T, Bagg R (2002) Herd level indicators for the prediction of high-risk dairy herds for subclinical ketosis. In: Proceedings of the 35th Conference of the American Association of Bovine Practitioners, (Rome - GA), USA, pp. 175-176.
Erb ΗΝ, Smith RD, Oltenacu PA, Guard CL, Hillman RB, Powers PA, Smith MC, White ME (1985) Path model of reproductive disorders and performance, milk fever, mastitis, milk yield and culling in Holstein cows. J Dairy Sci, 68: 3337-3349.
Fourichon C, Seegers H, Bareille N, Beaudeau F (1999) Effects of disease on milk production in the dairy cow: a review. Prev Vet Med, 41:1-35.
Geishauser T, Leslie K, Duffield Τ (2000) Metabolic aspects in the etiology of displaced abomasums. Vet Clin Ν Am -Food A, 16: 255-265.
Goff JP (2008) The monitoring, prevention and treatment of milk fever and subclinical hypocalcaemia in dairy cows. Vet J, 176: 50-57.
Goff JP, Kehrli ME, Horst RL (1989) Periparturient hypocalcemia in cows: prevention using intramuscular parathyroid hormone. J Dairy Science, 72:1182-1187.
Goff JP, Horst RL (1997) Physiological changes at parturition and their relationship to metabolic disorders. J Dairy Sci, 80:1260-1268.
Grummer RR, Mashek DG, Hayirli A (2004) Dry matter intake and energy balance in the transition period. Vet Clin Ν Am -Food A, 20: 447-470.
Hibbs JW, Conrad HR (1976) Milk fever in dairy cows. VII. Effect of continuous vitamin D feeding on incidence of milk fever. J Dairy Science, 59:1944-1946.
Horst RL, Goff JP, McCluskey BJ (2003) Prevalence of subclinical hypocalcemia in US dairy operations. J Dairy Sci, 86 (Suppl. 1): 247.
Horst R L, Goff JP, Reinhardt TA (1994) Calcium and vitamin D metabolism in the dairy cow. J Dairy Sci, 11:1936-1951.
Joyce W, Sanchez WK, Goff JP (1997) Effect of anionic salts in prepartum diets based on alfalfa. J Dairy Sci, 80: 2866-2875.
Katsoulos PD, Roubles N, Panousis N, Arsenos G, Christaki E, Karatzias H (2005) Effects of long-term dietary supplementation with clinoptilolite on incidence of parturient paresis and serum concentrations of total calcium, phosphate, magnesium, potassium and sodium in dairy cows. Am J Vet Res, 66: 2081-2085.
Markusfeld Ο (1986) The association of displaced abomasum with various periparturient factors in dairy cows. A retrospective study. Prev Vet Med, 4:173-183.
Markusfeld Ο (1989) The evaluation of a routine treatment with lahydroxyvitamin D3 for the prevention of bovine parturient paresis. Prev Vet Med, 1:1-9.
Marquardt JP, Horst RL, Jorgensen NA (1997) Effect of parity on dry matter intake at parturition in dairy cattle. J Dairy Sci, 60: 929-934.
Massey CD, Wang CZ, Donovan GA, Beede DK (1993) Hypocalcemia at parturition as a risk factor for left displacement of the abomasums in dairy cows. J Am Vet Med Assoc, 203: 852-853.
Melendez P, Risco CA (2005) Management of transition cows to optimize reproductive efficiency in dairy herds. Vet Clin Ν Am -Food A, 21: 485-501.
Melendez P, Gonzalez G, Benzaquen M, Risco C, Archbald L (2006) The effect of a monensin controlled-release capsule on the incidence of retained fetal membranes, milk yield and reproductive responses in Holstein cows. Therìogenology, 66: 234-241.
National Research Council (2005) Nutrient requirements of dairy cattle. 8th revised edition. Washington (DC), USA, National Academic Press.
Oetzel GR (2000) Management of dry cows for the prevention of milk fever and other mineral disorders. Vet Clin Ν Am - Food A, 16 (2):369-386.
Oetzel GR (2004) Monitoring and testing dairy herds for metabolic disease. Vet Clin Ν Am-Food A, 20: 651-674.
Oetzel GR (2007) Herd-Level Ketosis - Diagnosis and Risk Factors. In: Pre-conference Seminar 7C: Dairy Herd Problem Investigation Strategies: Transition Cow Troubleshooting 40th Annual Conference of the American Association of Bovine Practitioners (Vancouver - BC), Canada, pp. 67-91.
Ouweltjes W, Smolders EAA, Elving L, vanEldik P, Schukken YH (1996) Fertility disorders and subsequent fertility in dairy cattle. Livest Prod Sci, 46: 213-220.
Overton R, Waldron MR (2004) Nutritional management of transition dairy cows: Strategies to optimize metabolic health. J Dairy Sci, 87 (suppl):105-119.
Paisley LG, Mickelsen WD, Anderson PB (1986) Mechanisms and therapy for retained fetal membranes and uterine infections of cows - A review. Therìogenology, 3: 353-381.
Risco CA, Drost M, Thatcher WW, Savio J, Thatcher MJ (1994) Effects of calving-related disorders on prostaglandin, calcium, ovarian activity and uterine involution in postrartum dairy cows. Therìogenology, 42:183-203.
Shaver RD (1997) Nutritional Risk Factors in the Etiology of left displaced abomasum in airy cows: A review. J Dairy Sci, 80: 2449-2453.
Smith BI, Risko CA (2005) Management of periparturient disorders in dairy cattle. Vet Clin Ν Am-Food A, 21: 503-521.
Stevenson JS, Call EP (1988) Reproductive disorders in the periparturient dairy cow. J Dairy Sci, 71:2572-2583.
Studer E (1988) A veterinary perspective of on-farm evaluation of nutrition and reproduction. J Dairy Sci, 81: 872-876.
Thilsing-Hansen T, J0rgensen RJ (2001) Hot topic: Prevention of parturient paresis and subclinical hypocalcemia in dairy cows by zeolite a administration in the dry period. J Dairy Sci, 84: 691-693.
Tveit B, Lingass F, Svendsen M, Sjaastad OV (1992) Etiology of acetonemia in Norwegian cattle. 1. Effect of ketogenic silage, season, energy level and genetic factors. J Dairy Sci, 75: 2421-2432.
Trevisi E, Han XT, Piccioli-Cappelli F, Bertoni G (2002) Dry matter intake reduction before calving in dairy cows: relationship with immune system and metabolism conditions. In: Proceedings of the 53rd Annual Meeting EAAP, (Cairo) Egypt, pp. 54.
Tyopponen J, Kauppinen Κ (1980) The stability and automatic determination of ketone bodies in blood samples taken in field conditions. Acta VetScand, 21: 55-61.
Vagnoni B, Oetzel GR (1998) Effects of dietary cation-anion difference on the acid-base status of dry cows. J Dairy Sci, 81:1643-1652.
Van Winden SCL, Jorritsma R, Müller KE, Noordhuizen JPTM (2003) Feed intake, milk yield and metabolic parameters prior to left displaced abomasum in dairy cows./Dairy Sci, 86:1465-1471.
Wilson GF (2003) Development of a novel concept (Calcigard) for activation of calcium absorption capacity and prevention of milk fever. Acta Vet Scand, 97 (suppl): 77-82.
Most read articles by the same author(s)