How to deal with metabolic changes during the transition period

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 foetal 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 from 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 non-visible and visible metabolic challenges

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 metabolic and energy challenges. 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. Metabolic challenges are one of the most common mineral-related metabolic issues affecting dairy cows. The costs associated with severe and mild metabolic challenges are often much higher than expected.

In New Zealand, cows with severe metabolic challenges produce 14% less milk, while cows with mild metabolic challenges produce 7% less milk. The financial cost of these challenges averages out at $8000 for every 100 cows in your herd based on DairyNZ data. DairyNZ says about 2% of cows in a herd go down in NZ during calving. That’s 50,000 cows in Bay of Plenty and Waikato alone. But the down cows we see, the visible ones, are just the tip of the iceberg. For every one that goes down, at least 10 times as many are affected without visible signs. In fact, DairyNZ suggests 33% of all cows in NZ are affected. This results in further problems with calving, milk production, fertility and the udder through the season. The impact of calcium deficiencies adds up to losses the industry can ill-afford. Metabolic challenges increases the risk of other metabolic issues and bacterial infiltrations, in the blood and uterus, and approximately 5 percent of downer cows do not recover. According to Dairy NZ, in 2012 a metabolic challenge cost farmers about $400 million on treatments for calcium deficiency.

Additional attention should be given to tackle these aforementioned shortages of minerals and energy. AHV Milk Start Paste is a supplementary feed that offers support around calving and has the primary proposition of getting cows eating fast. This means the cow can close her mineral and energy gap herself, quickly and sustainably, given a high quality transition nutrition. The AHV Milk Start Paste also tackles 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 Milk Start Paste is given immediately after calving, this must be repeated every 12 hours when the cow shows signs of severe metabolic challenges. 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 Milk Start Paste provides a great amount of energy stimulating the cow to stand and walk. In addition, AHV Milk Start Paste enhances the effect of the AHV Opti Bolus, given immediately after calving. The AHV Opti Bolus supports  contractions of the uterus to expel 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 rate, comfort and hygiene, body condition score, rumination, active time, eating time), milk production during early lactation, fresh cow health and events (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

• 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.
• 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.
• C. Guard, et al.(1996). Cost per case from veterinary fees, drugs, labor, lost or discarded milk and culling.
• 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.
• Downer cows (farmersweekly.co.nz)

AHV (Animal Health Vision) is the global leader in quorum sensing-powered animal health solutions and advisory services, giving #PowerToTheFarmer to optimise their animal health. Since opening in New Zealand February 2022, AHV has tailored a range of protocols to New Zealand farming challenges to power herd longevity, productivity and profitability. Reach out to your local Territory Manager or call AHV New Zealand at 0800 424 869 to learn more about how AHV can support your farm.