Ketosis treatment and milk yield in dairy cows related to milk acetoacetate levels.
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.
Simensen
E
E
Department of Large Animal Clinical Science, Norwegian College of Veterinary Medicine, Oslo.
Halse
K
K
Gillund
P
P
Lutnaes
B
B
D000090:Acetoacetates / Q000032:analysis*; D000818:Animals; D002417:Cattle; D002418:Cattle Diseases / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005260:Female; D007662:Ketosis / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000662:veterinary*; D007774:Lactation; D008892:Milk / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism
D000090:Acetoacetates