ANFS251- Dairy and Beef cattle modules

What is Rumen Acidosis?

Metabolic disease of the cattle where the pH of the rumen falls to less than 5.5, changing the rumen flora with acid-producing bacteria taking over

What causes Rumen Acidosis?

Feeding a high level of rapidly digestible carbohydrates and increased concentrates compared to forage

Symptoms of Rumen Acidosis?

Reduced feed intake, poor body condition and weight loss, lethargy.

What is milk fever?

A metabolic disease that mainly effects cows close to calving.

What is the cause of milk fever?

About 80% cases occur within calving because milk and colostrum production drain calcium from the blood. High producers are more susceptible since they produce more

Symptoms of Milk Fever?

Cows show initial excitement or agitation and a tremor in the muscles of the head and limbs. Then they stagger and go down to a “sitting” position, often with a ‘kink’ in her neck, and finally lie flat on their side before circulatory collapse, coma and death.

what is Displaced Abomasum?

When the abomasum is filled with gas and rises from the floor of the abdomen to the top.

What is the cause of a Displace Abomasum?

Majority of cases occur soon after calving. This is due to the uterus taking up space in the abdomen.

What are the symptoms of a Displace Abomasum?

Loss of appetite, drop in milk yield, reduced rumination, mild diarrhea

What is Ketosis?

A metabolic disorder that occurs when energy demands exceed energy intake, resulting in a negative energy balance.

What is the cause of ketosis?

when large amounts of body fat are utilized as an energy source to support production, fat is sometimes mobilized faster than the liver can properly metabolize it. This means ketone production exceeds ketone utilization by the cow. In dairy cattle this usually occurs in the first few weeks of lactation because the cow is not able to eat enough to match the energy lost in the milk.

What are symptoms of ketosis?

Reduced milk yield, weight loss, reduced appetite, acetone smell of breath and/or milk. with some cows developing nervous signs like excess salivation, licking, aggression, etc.

Dairy cows may require _____ as much protein and energy when lactating

three times

Some cows produce more than___ pounds of milk annually

34,000 lbs/4200 gal

When does milk production reach its peak production?

6-9 weeks after calving

When does maximum daily dry intake occur in cows?

12-15 weeks postpartum

Cows are in negative energy balance for how long after calving?

8-10 weeks

How much weight do cows lose during early lactation?

90-135 kg

After optimal dry matter intake is achieved?

intake follows production requirements and decreases as production decreases

Consumes more than she needs to during later lactation in order to regain body weight lost during early lactation

Cows injected with Bovine somatotropin (bST), what might occur after the injections?

A second increase in milk production.

How much does production increase due to bST injections?

10%

What is phase 1 of the lactation and gestation cycle?

The first 10 weeks of lactation, when peak production occurs, and body stores are used to make up for nutrient intake deficits

What is phase 2 of the lactation and gestation cycle?

About 10 weeks postpartum for most cows, continuing for 10 to 20 weeks. maximum dry intake, and intake is in balance with requirements

What is phase 3 of the lactation and gestation cycle?

Intake exceeds nutrient requirements for production, restoring body reserves. (the main period for restoring body reserves for next lactation)

What is phase 4 of the lactation and gestation cycle?

Period for any final regain of body weight, and involution followed by regeneration of secretory tissue in the udder for the next lactation.

What is phase 5 of the lactation and gestation cycle?

The last 1-3 weeks pre-partum where nutrition should increase grain intake in preparation for the increased nutritional intake after giving birth.

What two phases of the lactation and gestation cycle are sometimes thought of as 1 phase? What is the name of these combined phases?

4 and 5.

The dry period.

What is a dry period?

6-8 weeks where a cow takes time for their udder to regenerate by halting milk production.

What changes in the udder occur during the dry period?

Active involution; steady-state involution

lactogenesis plus colostrogenesis

What is active involution?

A 30 day time period into the dry period where milk-secreting tissue is reabsorbed

Steady state involution description

Second stage of involution that can exist indefinitely, and the mammary gland remains in a collapsed state.

What is lactogenesis plus colostrogenesis

The third stage in involution that begins 15-20 days pre-partum and involves onset of lactation and the secretion of colostrum

Why does dry-cow feeding emphasize maintaining body condition?

It has been shown that cows convert energy into body tissue more efficiently in late lactation than during the dry period. If still thin at drying off, need to replenish body stores as well as provide for fetal growth.

What is the ideal body condition score at calving for dairy cattle? scale ranging from 1 being very thin and 5 being excessively fat.

3.5

Dry cow’s nutrient requirements can often be met with only what? why?

Forages

Legume-grass hay and corn silage combo only needs vitamins and a small amount of Phospurus

What should be considered in the dry-cow ration?

1% of the body weight as long-stem, dry forage

free-choice feeding of corn silage should be avoided

grain should be limited to energy and protein needs

What is fat cow syndrome?

When cows consume excess energy from grain and/or corn silage. Leads to high blood lipids and fatty livers

What can Fat Cow syndrome cause?

calving problem, displaced abomasum, ketosis, and other health problems.

If corn silage must be fed then you should limit the cows amount to what?

9.5-11 kg/day with a protein and calcium-phosphorus supplement

Bred heifers nutrient requirements during late gestation?

Slightly greater than dry cows, likely to need some grain along with forages during the last 3-4 months of gestation (still growing)

What can provide the nutrient needs of bred heifers? What to do if unavailable

Good-quality forages

addition grain may be needed to maintain optimal growth.

How is the adjustment in last few weeks before parturition/phase 5 achieved?

Including small amounts of all ingredients of the lactating ration

gradually increasing concentrates

Most cows receive a sharp _________ in total dry matter intake 24-48 hours before calving? Why?

decrease

stabilizing the rumen

Calving instructions

Increase feed intake as rapidly as you can without causing digestive upsets and off-feed.

Once the stress of calving has passed, concentrate intake can increase 0.5 to 0.7 kg/day

If total mixed rations are fed, the forage to concentrate ratio should be 50-50 or 55-45

Results of a successful phase 1 feeding

Maximizes peak milk yield

utilizes some body weight as an energy source

minimizes ketosis

returns cows to a positive energy balance by 8 to 10 weeks post partum

Cow compensation for their deficit in energy in energy intake during milk production description

Borrow remaining needed energy from body fat

cannot borrow very much protein so protein needs to be supplied in the diet

early lactation cows will benefit from rumen bypass (escape) proteins

Avoiding acidosis during milk production

Nonstructural carbohydrates (starches and sugars) should be limited to 30%-40% of diet dry matter.

Feeds like distiller’s grains can replace a good amount of high starch feeds providing more energy and decreasing rumen acidosis

How could supplemental dietary fat aid during peak milk production?

Allow for increased energy density and adequate fiber intake.

At least 2.25 kg of dry hay in the daily ration helps with what?

Maintaining normal rumination and digestion, especially during early lactation

When should maximum dry matter intake be achieved and why?

As early in lactation as possible as conception rates are greater for cows in positive energy balances, weight gains should be occurring, and dry matter intake will reach 3.5-4.5% of body weight with some higher producing cows consuming more than 5% of their body weight

Dairy cattle late lactation nutrition requirements

Lower protein content

protein-to-energy ratio needed for weight gain is less than the ratio needed for milk production 

NPN sources may be well utilized, where bypass proteins will be less cost effective than in earlier lactation, when production was higher

As energy is an issue for lactating cows how could you increase their intake?

increasing the energy density of the diet

increasing readily fermentable carbohydrates

increasing dry matter intake

What kind of fats could be used to replace carbohydrates in dairy cattle as a source of energy?

Soybean seeds, sunflower seeds, and cottonseeds

What kind of fats can’t be used to replace carbohydrates in dairy cattle feed as a source of energy?

free oils such as soybean, sunflower, cottonseed, corn, and fish oils often

How do cows get separated into feeding groups?

Nutritional needs, calving, milk production.

Ways to avoid stress when moving cows from group to group

Make sure to move them together rather than separately.

What does the health and vigor of calves depend on?

nutrition of the cow during the last 60 days before freshening

cows fed properly & immunized against locally prevalent pathogens during this period develop colostrum of good antibody quality

Calves should receive a minimum of ____ of colostrum in two feedings in their first ____.

2 quarts

12 hours

How do calves receive colostrum under commercial conditions?

The producers/cow owners separate the milk they want to sell and the good quality colostrum to be given to the calves as needed

The rumen of newborn calves

Not fully developed until the calf reaches a weight of 200 kg and doesn't start to be populated with microbes until the calf is approximately 60 days old

Why must a calf elevate its head to nurse using a nipple

To activate esophageal groove through which milk flows directly to the omasum and abomasum and bypasses the rumen

Why is it important for calves to activate the esophageal groove?

the more nearly calves are fed to approximate natural conditions, the more efficient their performance.

the more frequently young calves can be fed, the more efficient their performance should be.

Many milk replacers contain what? Which vitamin is the most abundant in them?

antibiotics

Vitamin E has been recommended at levels as high as 135 IU per day for calves during the time prior to weaning

When should starter diets begin in dairy cattle calves and what should they consist of?

• about 1 week of age

  • standard ingredients used in dairy feeds can be used for starter rations, but fine-ground feeds are not acceptable 

• good-quality alfalfa hay should be offered in small amounts 

  • consumption of starter feed is critical to development of an active, functioning rumen

When should weaning begin for dairy cattle calves?

when calves are consuming approximately 2 kg of starter feed
in addition to hay and milk replacer

What are the two approaches to weaning?

abruptly remove the milk replacer so calves have to utilize the starter ration 

gradually adds increasing amounts of water to the milk replacer, until it is only water

Before weaning calves should be moved to?

from hutches to small group pens

100 ft² of space per calf and a maximum of 10 calves per pen

Weaned calves can be moved to?

larger group pens and offered growing rations 

separate growing calves by size

If heifers were properly introduced to solid feeds before weaning, growing ration can be what? What is the goal?

gradually changed so they reach puberty at 15 months

Maximum growth/minimum fat deposition

How should heifers be fed from breeding to 60 days before calving

rations should be designed for growth, with fat deposition avoided 

If fed high-energy, low-protein rations tend to deposit fat in the udder, limiting future production capability

How should heifers be fed during late gestation?

grain mix similar to that used when they enter lactation 

adjust the rumen population to increase microbes that ferment lactation ration feeds

increase nutrient intake for storage to support early lactation plus growth

provide for the increased demand for nutrients by the rapidly developing fetus

Beef cow-calf production relies heavily on what for nutrients?

Grazed forages

For much of the production of Beef cattle protein and energy need and be met with what kind of quality forages?

Low to medium

Dominant range forage is usually what?

High in fiber and may be deficient in both protein and energy, especially for cows during late gestation and lactation

Why is beef cattle dry matter intake the most important factor when it comes to their performance?

The actual physical volume can limit intake, if the rumen is full the cow feels full.

Clearance of feed residues from the rumen, feeding them lots of dry matter gives the bacteria a harder time due to the volume of food they have to break down.

Kinetics of digestion and passage in beef cattle affect intake by?

determine the speed with which forages are broken down

Nutrients are made available and indigestible residues leave the rumen

What are the 4 biological cycles of the beef cattle?

First trimester gestation, Second trimester gestation, third trimester gestation, and postpartum

How long are each of the three trimesters in beef cattle?

95 days

How long is the postpartum period in beef cattle?

80 days

How should nutrient requirements for beef cattle be expressed?

On an amount per day basis.

Beef cattle should be fed primarily what and on what basis?

Roughages and as necessary for optimum production

What are the nutrient requirements for beef cattle during the first trimester?

Nutrients for lactation and maintenance.

Milk production is what during the first trimester in beef cattle?

Declining because the calves are consuming more forage

How does nutrient requirements vary between beef cattle in the first trimester?

If the beef cattle breed has a higher mature size their nutrient requirements could be more than other cows.

Fetal growth is what during the first trimester of beef cattle?

minor

During the second trimester this year’s calf is what?

Weaned until the third trimester

During the beef cattle’s second trimester their nutritional requirements are at their what?

Lowest

Non-lactating beef cows with adequate body condition can be fed ____ during the second trimester?

Minimally

When is the easiest time to gain a higher Body Condition Score in thin beef cattle?

During the second trimester

During the third trimester nutrient requirements rapidly ____ due to _____

Increase; rapid fetal growth

Cows that are too thin at calving have a higher incidence of what?

Dystocia(difficult birth), weak calves, sick calves, and decreased milk production

When is it especially important to watch a beef cattle’s body condition score?

Leading up to and during the third trimester.

How many pounds could beef cattle be expected to gain per day during the third trimester to support fetal growth

0.9

Cows should not lose more than _____ of their body during the winter or calving

15%

When is forage quality critical? (best quality hay should be saved for this time)

the 60 days pre-partum & the 90 days postpartum

The Post-Partum Interval description

A Nutritionally critical period as the lactation requirements are high and the cows reproductive system is still recovering from partition.

Nutrion requirements are _____ higher during the Post-Partum Interval and intake is ____ to _____ higher than non-lactating

50%; 30%-50%

What is the goal of the Post-Partum Interval?

To gain a Body Condition Score good enough to resume estrous cycle

Free-grazing cows that range a long distance may have ____ to _____ greater energy needs

30%;50%

What is TNZ (Thermoneutral zone)?

The temperature that above or below which energy must be expended to keep a constant body temperature