Ketosis treatment and milk yield in dairy cows related to milk acetoacetate levels |
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Authors: | E Simensen K Halse P Gillund B Lutnaes |
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Affiliation: | Department of Large Animal Clinical Science, Norwegian College of Veterinary Medicine, Oslo. |
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Abstract: | Milk yield and milk acetoacetate (M-acac) were measured weekly for the first 6 weeks of lactation in 5 herds with a ketosis problem. Ketosis treatments and the corresponding ketotest score, were also recorded. The treatment rate was highest 7-16 days after calving. Most of these early cases were associated with low ketone levels in milk, whereas the treatment rate for cows with high ketone levels was highest 17-31 days after calving. Nearly half of the treated cows were low-ketone animals. They were classified as ketosis cases in the cow health card records, although probably suffering from other post partum disturbances in many instances. About 40% of the cows with high ketone levels recovered spontaneously. Reduction in milk yield associated with peak M-acac levels was transient and moderate. It was concluded that health card statistics overestimates the severity of the ketosis problem in Norway. |
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Keywords: | ketosis ketone bodies ketotest acetoacetate early lactation |
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