How to deal with metabolic changes during the transition period

By Lisa Godding – International Product Management – HQ

The transition period is challenging for both dairy cow and farmer. Efficient transition into lactation is essential to maintain health and achieve expected production performances. The transition period consists of a complex interplay of multiple pathways, including metabolic and hormonal adaptations and immune activation. These complex adaptations require allocation of nutrients to support the cow’s requirements for the final stage of fetal growth and the start of successful lactation. Failure of these pathways may result in health and development challenges for both cow and calf in the period after calving.

The most profound physiological changes of the transition period happen in the period after calving, such as calving itself, uterine involution and the start and maintenance of the lactation period. The most health challenges occur during this period (Caixeta and Omontese, 2021). However, some risk factors associated with health challenges after calving already originate before calving (O. Pascottini et al., 2020). Not all cows are successful in adequate adaptation to the physical demands of the transition period.

The costs of subclinical and clinical milk fever

Around calving, the intake of nutrients, like minerals and vitamins as well as water and energy are compromised. Reason for this are a short period of fasting prior to calving in combination with the high physiological demands of calving and the production of colostrum and milk (T.H. Herdt, 2000). In early lactation, energy requirements rise to about 300% and calcium requirements rise to more than 65% to support the milk production (J. K. Drackley, 1999). This drastically increases the demand on the cow’s mineral (calcium, phosphorus, magnesium) and energy reserves. If these requirements are not met the cow is at risk for developing milk fever.

About a third of cows visibly struggle with this transition, and more than half of the cows struggle with it without it being immediately visible. Milk fever is one of the most common mineral-related metabolic diseases affecting dairy cows. The costs associated with clinical and subclinical cases of milk fever are often much higher than expected. Our own research has shown that the estimated cost for clinical milk fever in an average Dutch farm with 103 dairy cows is costing the farm approximately €4.860,07 per year. Subclinical milk fever can affect up to 75% of the herd leading to economic losses nearly four times greater than the losses associated with clinical milk fever (C. Guard, et al., 1996).

Table 1. The estimated economic impact of clinical milk fever on an average Dutch farm with 103 cows

Extra magnesium, calcium, phosphorus and active vitamin D3

Additional attention should be given to prevent these aforementioned shortages of minerals and energy. AHV StartLac Paste is a dietetic feed that offers support around calving to prevent a calcium dip in the blood through active vitamin D3, which promotes faster and more efficient absorption of calcium from blood, muscle and bones. The product also contains magnesium and phosphorus which have an additional positive effect on the calcium absorption necessary for calving and colostrum and milk production. AHV StartLac Paste is given immediately after calving, this must be repeated every 12 hours when the cow shows symptoms of milk fever.

As mentioned before, the available nutrients are not only compromised because of high physiological demands but at the same time, voluntary feed intake decreases to a level that is insufficient to cover the nutrient requirements of the cow. Besides the fast provision of minerals, AHV StartLac Paste provides a great amount of energy stimulating the cow to stand, walk and encourages her to eat to fill the emerging deficiencies. Next to that, AHV StartLac Paste enhances the effect of the AHV Metri Tablet, given immediately after calving. The AHV Metri Tablet stimulates contractions of the uterus in order to push out the afterbirth and the uterine discharge. The uterus is a large muscle and will only function if the required minerals are met. Achieving optimal uterine health as soon as possible increases the well-being of the cow and by that positively influencing the colostrum and milk production and allows for a good and fast start of a new fertility cycle. Efficient transition into lactation is essential for dairy cows to be successful in the current production system and therefore of vital importance for the herd health and performance.

The pursuit of a more efficient production system has led the dairy industry to prioritize selection on milk yield over other traits, exacerbating the metabolic challenges of dairy cows, making dairy very vulnerable in the transition period and may lead to performance disruptions. Routine and systematic collection of information on farm can detect deviations from expected performance. Monitoring can thus be used to detect unintended performance disruptions. Different approaches exist to monitor the transitional dairy cow. Parameters often used to monitor cow performance are: herd information (e.g., historical data, stocking density, comfort and hygiene, body condition score, rumen filling), milk production during early lactation, fresh cow health and events (e.g., disease incidence and prevalence, death and culling) (Caixeta and Omontese, 2021). Thus, carefully monitoring the cow in transition taking into account factors that could affect the health and performance of the cow enables prompt interventions to address rising challenges and enhances cow health, well-being and productivity in a timely manner!

Sources

• C. Guard, et al.(1996). Cost per case from veterinary fees, drugs, labor, lost or discarded milk and culling.
• Caixeta, L. S., & Omontese, B. O. (2021). Monitoring and improving the metabolic health of dairy cows during the transition period. Animals, 11(2), 352.
• Drackley, J. K. (1999). Biology of dairy cows during the transition period: The final frontier?. Journal of dairy science, 82(11), 2259-2273.
• Herdt, T. H. (2000). Ruminant adaptation to negative energy balance: Influences on the etiology of ketosis and fatty liver. Veterinary Clinics of North America: Food Animal Practice, 16(2), 215-230.
• Pascottini, O. B., Leroy, J. L., & Opsomer, G. (2020). Metabolic stress in the transition period of dairy cows: Focusing on the prepartum period. Animals, 10(8), 1419.