A type of dairy cow (Holstein breed) that is prone to ‘ketosis’, a nutritional metabolic disease common in dairy cows, was presented.
The Rural Development Administration (Director Jae-ho Cho) said that ketosis is a disease caused by excessive accumulation of ketone bodies in the blood in dairy cows in the early stages of lactation. When the disease occurs, the amount of feed eaten, weight and milk production are reduced, as well as reproductive disorders, gait disorders, and metritis, he said.
The research team analyzed 176 cows that had been calved and derived characteristics of individuals prone to ketosis.
In addition, when the weight of the calf was over 45kg, the incidence rate was 31.2% higher than when the weight was less than 36kg.
The higher the milk production between the 4th and 6th days of milking following parturition, the higher the occurrence of ketosis and the more severe the symptoms. The average milk yield of cows without ketosis was regarding 21 kg, and cows in ketosis produced an average of more than 26 kg.
In terms of season, the incidence of ketosis was highest in cows calved in summer at 73.7%, followed by spring (57.1%), winter (40.4%), and autumn (37.5%). In addition, the higher the calving age and number of cows, and the longer the calving interval, the higher the probability of getting into ketosis.
On the other hand, the occurrence of ketosis did not show any relationship with breeding method, delivery time, prematurity, calf sex, or twin delivery.
The results of this study were published in the January 2023 issue of the international journal ‘Veterinary Medicine and Science’.
Dairy farms with types of cows prone to ketosis should be carefully monitored, diagnosed with ketosis, and promptly treated when milk production decreases by more than 10% or feed intake decreases.
Director Kim Sang-beom of the Dairy Division, National Institute of Animal Science, Rural Development Administration, said, “If we use the previously developed ketosis treatment and the type of entity at risk of ketosis together, effective disease management is possible.” It will help,” he said. Correspondent Kang Kyung-nam
