Supply the Nutrients Needed for a Healthy Recovery Post-Calving By Liz Binversie, Herd Care Line Advisor, GENEX
Low feed intake and dehydration at calving directly impact cow health. These issues can lead to fresh cow diseases like hypocalcemia, ketosis and displaced abomasum (DA), which negatively impact milk yield, reproduction performance and ultimately, profitability. Today, there are a multitude of products available to supplement fresh cows and promote a healthy recovery, but which options should you choose? Your First Goal Should Be to Hydrate the Fresh Cow Water intake is critical. It’s the most important nutrient for maintenance and productivity of dairy cattle. In a Florida Dairy Production conference presentation, Dr. Beede of the University of Florida explained the many reasons why water and proper hydration is essential: “Water serves as a medium for dispersion or suspension of colloids and ions within the body and is necessary for maintaining osmotic balance. It functions as a medium for processes of digestion, absorption, metabolism, milk and sweat secretion, and elimination of urine and feces. It provides a medium of transport for nutrients, metabolites, hormones, and gases and is a lubricant and support for various organ systems.” Water intake is especially critical at calving. Yet, at that time, the cow is under stress and may limit her free intake of water. Intake is critical because the cow not only loses calving fluid and tissue during calving
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but also water through increased respiration and panting. One study shows cows lose 24.5 to 53 liters of extracellular fluid around calving.1
lost weight of the calf in volume. That doesn’t even take into consideration additional water loss from increased respiration, panting or not drinking.
Also, after calving, the space inside the cow previously occupied by the calf is left unoccupied. This means more space for the abomasum to move around and become displaced. If the rumen is filled with water, the chance of a DA decreases.
Drenching does involve specialized equipment, proper restraint of the cow, proper training and patience. However, several pump systems on the market have made this process easier and safer. One recommended option is the Magrath pump. It can be used by a single person, and 5 gallons of solution can be delivered in just a few minutes.
What Options Do You Have for Hydrating a Cow? One option is to provide clean, fresh and warm water. However, some cows will not drink on their own. In this case, if the cow is only showing signs of moderate dehydration – such as slight eyeball recession and slightly prolonged skin tent (2 to 4 seconds) – then oral drench solutions are preferred over intravenous or subcutaneous methods.1 Most drench products recommend the addition of 5-10 gallons of warm water because it takes approximately 10 gallons of water to replace the
What Other Nutrients are Necessary in a Drench? It takes a combination of proper hydration and nutrition for optimal post-calving recovery, especially since cows are often down on feed intake before, during and following calving. That decreased consumption of essential nutrients and the increased demands on the cow for colostrum and milk production puts a cow in a delicate situation. Calcium, magnesium
