title: [Lactational incidences of production diseases in German Fleckvieh cows of six Bavarian dairy farms].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to assess lactation incidences of production diseases in German Fleckvieh cows.
  
  
  METHODS
  Investigations were carried out on six dairy farms (mean milk yield of herds 2008: 7834 ± 708kg milk [mean ± SD]) in Bavaria. All farms kept the cows in free stall barns and fed them a total or partial mixed ration based on grass silage and corn silage. In total, 116 cows and 58 heifers were examined daily for 14 days post partum and treated - if necessary - according to standard protocols. The acquisition of data for diseases in the further lactation was carried out by regular visits to the farm as well as communication with the herd manager and the farm veterinarian.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Pluriparous cows suffered more frequently from production diseases (milk fever, retained placenta, clinical ketosis, abomasal displacement, metritis, endometritis, ovarian cysts, mastitis) than primiparous heifers: 33.3% and 46.4% of pluriparous and primiparous cows, respectively, remained clinically healthy, while 24.8% and 30.4%, respectively, suffered from one production disease during the first 2 weeks of lactation; more than one production disease was diagnosed in 41.9% and 23.2% of pluriparous and primiparous cows, respectively. The lactation incidences of production diseases varied considerably among pluriparous cows of the six farms: retained placenta 16.8 ± 13.2%, milk fever 15.1 ± 7.0%, clinical ketosis 16.8 ± 12.4%, metritis 3.8 ± 3.1%, abomasal displacement 1.1% (median 0.0; 0.0/0.0%), endometritis 11.7 ± 7.0%. Mastitis affected 56.0 ± 7.4% of the pluriparous cows, which experienced 1.7 mastitis episodes on average. At least one follicular cyst was diagnosed among 28.4 ± 8.6% of the cows. Lameness affected 18.5 ± 13.5% of pluriparous cows and heifers during the first 2 weeks of lactation.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The lactation incidences of production diseases did not significantly differ from reference values reported for Holstein Friesian cows except the lower incidence of LDA among German Fleckvieh cows. The results indicate that the farm management affected lactation incidences of production diseases to a greater degree than additional factors, such as the breed of the cows.
authors.affiliation: Klinik für Rinder, Stiftung Tierärztliche Hochschule Hannover, Bischofsholer Damm 15, 30173 Hannover.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bijmholt
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Müller
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Leiding
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hoedemaker
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Bollwein
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kaske
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002417:Cattle; D002418:Cattle Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology*; D003612:Dairying / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D004716:Endometritis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000662:veterinary; D005260:Female; D005858:Germany / Q000453:epidemiology; D015994:Incidence; D007662:Ketosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000662:veterinary; D007774:Lactation; D008414:Mastitis, Bovine / Q000453:epidemiology*; D010048:Ovarian Cysts / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000662:veterinary; D018457:Placenta, Retained / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000662:veterinary; D011247:Pregnancy