Why is energy important around calving?

The transition period (3 weeks before and 3 weeks after calving) is a stressful time for dairy cows but is crucial for the cow’s productive life and fertility. Promoting a well-functioning rumen in the transition period is essential for increased nutrient utilization and energy conversion for the cow. This is important for overall health in the period around calving (Zebeli et al., 2015 ). With AHV Booster products, we support you and your animals during this process. We are happy to show you our results with the AHV Booster Bolus.

Research on AHV Booster Bolus

The aim of this trial was to investigate the effects on animal health and performance when administering the AHV Booster Bolus.

Results on milk yield

Milk production in cows is a complex biological process that requires substantial energy inputs. Energy is crucial for various aspects in the cow’s life including milk synthesis, maintenance of body functions, heat mitigation, reproductive cycling, and physical activity. Adequate energy availability is essential for optimizing milk yield and maintaining the cow’s overall health and productivity.

According to a study conducted by Nichols et al. (2019), energy is a limiting factor in milk production. The synthesis of milk components, such as lactose, fat, and protein, from nutrients obtained through the bloodstream requires significant energy expenditure. Insufficient energy intake can lead to reduced milk yield and compromised milk composition.

Trail AHV Booster Bolus

AHV Booster Bolus was administered based prior to the expected calving date and/or after the actual calving date. The trial setup for the group was as follows:

• Group 1 – 14 cows were given an AHV Booster Bolus 14 days before calving and 7 days after calving.
• Group 2 – 9 cows were given an AHV Booster Bolus 14 days before calving and 30 days after calving.
• Group 3 – 12 cows received only an AHV Booster Bolus 7 days after calving.

The results of all groups were then compared with overall herd averages. This gave a higher average milk yield for Groups 1 and 2 (which received the AHV Booster Bolus both before and after calving). The cows in these groups had 20.1 lb more milk during the first 7 days (figure 1). There was no clear benefit to milk yield when using the AHV Booster Bolus alone at 7 days after calving (Group 3).

Fig 1. Four different lactation curves, from four different groups, showing the lactation yield after calving.

AHV Programs

The AHV Booster Bolusis part of the Energy & Metabolism, Udder Health and Transition Programs and promotes good rumen function. When the rumen functions properly, feed is digested more efficiently, yielding better absorption and utilization of nutrients. This is confirmed by the increased milk yields in Groups 1 and 2. In addition, an increased milk yield during the start of lactation shows that the energy balance in these cows is better, which reduces the likelihood of challenges in the transition period.

Results on rumination activity

The results (figure 2) show that average rumination activity before calving was higher in Groups 1 and 2. Cows that received Booster Bolus both before and after calving spent 0.83 hours longer ruminating per day post-calving compared to cows only receiving a Booster Bolus post-calving. This emphasizes how important it is to promote good rumen function before calving, since the majority of calf growth occurs in the last three weeks of gestation. This means that the cow must have adequate access to nutrients and energy. This is to meet both her own needs and the increasing nutrient requirements of the fast-growing calf (Alharthi et al., 2021). The variation in rumination activity between the groups after calving was negligible.

Fig 2. Average rumination activity for each of the three treatment groups

Results on fertility

Fertility was expected to improve with the use of the AHV Booster Bolus , especially in Groups 1 and 2, which showed a much more positive energy balance. Energy balance affects the estrus cycle and fertility of the cow (Wathes et al., 2007). The differences between the groups were too small. Because of this unexpected result, fertility was investigated further. Liver biopsies showed a large trace element deficiency in the entire herd on the test farm. Deficiency of essential trace elements results in reduced fertility (Rabiee et al., 2010). Therefore, the effect of AHV Booster Bolus on fertility is further investigated.

What can we conclude from this?

The results of this trial show positive effects on milk yield, rumination and overall animal health and performance when AHV Booster Bolus is administered both before and after calving (Groups 1 & 2).

Optimizing milk yield benefits farm profitability while improving the transition to lactation, minimizing the risk of metabolic challenges and promotes overall cow health. AHV aims to improve the overall health of cows at the beginning of lactation and tackle health risks. This is essential for maximizing production and herd longevity.

The AHV Booster products are part of the AHV Energy & Metabolism, Udder Health and Transition Program. Would you like to know what the products can do for the energy supply of your livestock? Then contact your Farm Advisor or fill in the contact form below.

Sources

Alharthi, A. S., Coleman, D. J., Alhidary, I. A., Abdelrahman, M. M., Trevisi, E., & Loor, J. J. (2021). Maternal body condition during late-pregnancy is associated with in utero development and neonatal growth of Holstein calves. Journal of Animal Science and Biotechnology, 12(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s40104-021-00566-2

Nichols, K. B., Van Laar, H., Bannink, A., & Dijkstra, J. (2019). Mammary gland utilization of amino acids and energy metabolites differs when dairy cow rations are isoenergetically supplemented with protein and fat. Journal of Dairy Science, 102(2), 1160–1175. https://doi.org/10.3168/jds.2018-15125

Rabiee, A., Lean, I. J., Stevenson, M., & Socha, M. (2010). Effects of feeding organic trace minerals on milk production and reproductive performance in lactating dairy cows: A meta-analysis. Journal of Dairy Science, 93(9), 4239–4251. https://doi.org/10.3168/jds.2010-3058

Wathes, D. C., Fenwick, M. J., Cheng, Z., Bourne, N., Llewellyn, S., Morris, D. L., Kenny, D. A., Murphy, J. B., & Fitzpatrick, R. (2007). Influence of negative energy balance on cyclicity and fertility in the high producing dairy cow. Theriogenology, 68, S232–S241. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.theriogenology.2007.04.006

Zebeli, Q., Ghareeb, K., Humer, E., Metzler-Zebeli, B. U., & Besenfelder, U. (2015). Nutrition, rumen health and inflammation in the transition period and their role on overall health and fertility in dairy cows. Research in Veterinary Science, 103, 126–136. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rvsc.2015.09.020