Teaming up for animal health
Optimization of dry cow management can influence natural antibody (Nab) levels and the incidence of postpartum disorders in dairy cows S. Carp-van Dijken, I.M.G.A. Santman-Berends, G. Van Schaik, T.J.G.M. Lam, I.E.M. den Uijl GD Animal Health, PO Box 9, 7400 AA Deventer, the Netherlands
Aim To evaluate if postpartum disorders could be prevented by management optimisation in the dry period and whether this optimisation resulted in a change in NAb levels.
Background Natural antibody levels (IgM and IgG NAbs) combined with parity, SCC and postpartum disorders in the prior lactation could indicate whether a cow had a low or high risk for developing postpartum disorders in the subsequent lactation.
Results
In 29 Dutch dairy herds milk samples of cows were tested for NAb levels at each test-day milking from December 2013 to March 2015. From April 2014 on, for each study herd a plan was made to optimize dry cow management during the period of a year. During the optimisation process the farmers were guided intensively by a GD veterinarian. Three measures for dry cows could be applied in all herds: 1. Improve daily dry matter intake 2. Optimisation of the ration 3. Stop with feeding leftover feed of the milking cows.
During the study period, the percentage of postpartum disorders decreased from on average 21% prior to optimisation to 16% during optimisation. It appeared that the NAb levels of the cows in the study herds decreased significantly in the period in which dry cow management was optimized. The decrease in NAb level was more evident in herds that applied the optimisation measures compared to herds that did not optimize their management.
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We evaluated whether the amount of postpartum disorders had changed during the period in which optimisation was conducted. A multilevel logistic regression model was used with postpartum disorder as dependent variable and period, parity, quality of optimisation and a random herd effect as independent variables. In addition, a linear regression model was used to evaluate the influence and quality of optimisation on NAb levels during the study period.
% postpartum disorders
Materials and methods
Month Fig. 1 Postpartum disorder incidence
Results IgM stratified towards the compliance in the study 8
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Fig. 2 Results Nabs(IgM)levels plotted against the extent to which optimization was applied
Conclusions Our study showed that optimising dry cow management decreases Nab levels in dairy cows. Lower NAb levels contribute to a smaller proportion of cows defined as high risk for developing postpartum disease in the subsequent lactation and therefore the risk profile could be changed.
GD, P.O. Box 9, 7400 AA Deventer, the Netherlands, T. +31 (0)570-63 33 91, F. +31 (0)570-63 41 04 www.gdanimalhealth.com, info@gdanimalhealth.com
GDOV0806/06-16
contact: s.v.dijken@gddiergezondheid.nl