Effect of Anionic and Zeolite Supplements and Oral Calcium Bolus in Prepartum Diets on Feed Intake, Milk Yield and Milk Compositions, Plasma Ca Concentration, Blood Metabolites and the Prevalence of Some Reproductive Disorders in Fresh Dairy Cows (original) (raw)
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2011
The objective of this study was to determine whether dietary Ca concentration affects the ability to maintain Ca homeostasis in non-lactating non-pregnant dairy cows fed diets differing in dietary cation-anion difference (DCAD). Eight non-lactating non-pregnant multiparous Holstein cows (594 ± 80.3 kg body weight; 34.5 ± 11.4 month old) were fed diets Low or High in DCAD (−64 vs. 82 mequiv./kg dry matter, respectively) in combinations with Low or High dietary Ca concentration (3.0 vs. 9.1 g/kg of dry matter, respectively) in a duplicated 4 × 4 Latin square design with 14-d periods. On d 14 of each period, cows were subjected to an EDTA challenge that consists of an intra-jugular infusion of EDTA solution to decrease blood Ca concentration. In this protocol, the time required to recover to 90% of the pre-challenge blood Ca concentration was determined as recovery time. During the EDTA challenge, mean blood bicarbonate concentration was lower for cows fed Low-DCAD diets although mean blood pH was not affected by treatment, indicating that cows fed Low-DCAD diets had mild compensated metabolic acidosis. Feeding High-Ca diet shortened the recovery time (106 vs. 134 min; P=0.04) when DCAD was low, while Low-Ca diet shortened the recovery time (125 vs. 159 min; P=0.02) when DCAD was high. These results suggest that the optimum dietary Ca concentration to minimize the risk of hypocalcaemia in dairy cows is likely different depending on the DCAD value.
Journal of Applied Animal Research
The purpose of this study was to determine effects of inclusion of Zeolite in lactating dairy cows' rations on blood Ca, P, and Mg status during periparturient period, as well as on milk yield and composition during early lactation. Forty-two pregnant dry Holstein cows were randomly assigned as Zeolite treated cows (EG) or untreated cows (CG) comprising 21 cows each. The EG group received the same diet as the CG group, but with addition of 200 g/cow/day of Zeolite. There was no treatment effect on milk total solids, milk fat, milk protein, lactose, milk ash, milk Ca, milk P, milk Mg, plasma P, and plasma Mg for CG and EG. Conversely, milk yield, fat corrected milk (FCM), fat yield, protein yield, lactose yield, and plasma Ca were significantly increased by Zeolite addition. These results indicate that Zeolite can be effectively used in the rations of dry and lactating cows with positive effects on milk production and components yields and no deleterious effects on milk composition or blood parameters. Blood Ca was enhanced around calving and at the beginning of lactation. It is suggested that prepartum Zeolite supplementation may alleviate the negative Ca balance and therefore reduce the incidence of subclinical hypocalcaemia during the periparturient period.
Effects of anionic salts in a pre-partum dairy ration on calcium metabolism
The effects of anionic salts in the transition diet on serum and urine calcium at calving and on peripartal health, subsequent milk production and fertility performance were studied in a well-managed, high-producing Friesland dairy herd. Over a period of a year, approximately 21 days before the expected date of calving, 28 pre-partum heifers and 44 multiparous dry cows were randomly allocated within parity to 1 of 2 transition diets, designated control and experimental anionic diets. The anionic diet contained the same quantities of the basic transition ration fed to the control group as well as a standard anionic salt mixture containing 118 g NH4Cl, 36 g (NH4)2SO4 and 68 g MgSO4 (total 222 g) per animal per day. This reduced the DCAD to -11.68 mEq/100 g dietary dry matter compared to +13.57 for the control diet. Blood and urine were randomly sampled from 7 to 8 animals within each category within 3 hours post-partum. Serum calcium (total and ionised) and creatinine, urine calcium and creatinine and the fractional clearance of calcium were assessed. Relevant clinical, milk production, and fertility data were collected. The total serum calcium (2.07 versus 1.60 mmol/ ), serum ionised calcium (1.12 vs 1.02 mmol/ ), urine calcium (0.92 vs 0.10 mmol/ ) and the fractional clearance of calcium (1.88 vs 0.09 %) were significantly higher (P <0.01) at calving for multiparous cows fed the anionic diet compared to those fed the control diet. In the primiparous cows there were no significant differences in serum calcium levels. However, the urine calcium (1.07 vs 0.43 mmol/ ) and the fractional clearance of calcium was higher (1.75 vs 0.45 %) in cows fed the anionic diet (P <0.05 and 0.01 respectively). These results illustrated that there were benefits, although no differences were demonstrated with respect to health, milk production or fertility. The supplementation of diets with anionic salts in the last 2-3 weeks before calving has the potential to significantly improve parturient calcium homeostasis.
Journal of dairy science, 2003
It was hypothesized that a reduction in the dietary cation-anion difference (DCAD) before calving, combined with an increase in Ca intake after calving, would reduce the incidence of periparturient hypocalcaemia and increase milk production in pasture-based dairy cows. Cows (n = 40) were assigned to one of two DCAD levels before calving (i.e., +7 and +50 mEq/100 g). Each group was then assigned to one of two dietary Ca concentrations after calving (i.e., 1.0 and 0.7%) in a 2 x 2 factorial design. The lower DCAD resulted in a nonrespiratory reduction in systemic pH as indicated by a lower urine pH. This acidosis resulted in an increased concentration of Ca in urine before calving. The lower precalving DCAD helped prevent the decline in blood Ca caused by the onset of lactation, even though blood Ca concentration was lower before calving compared with cows receiving a high DCAD. Supplementation of cows with Ca after calving increased plasma Ca concentration on the day of calving and d...
Acta Scientiae Veterinariae, 2017
Background: There are many metabolic diseases that affect dairy cows during the transition period, among them, the postparturient hypocalcemia, also known as milk fever, puerperal paresis syndrome, or fallen cow. This disease may affect animals 72 h after calving due to a nutritional imbalance in the calcium metabolism, which occurs after a sudden demand of this mineral at the beginning of lactation. This problem is more common in animals with high milk production, and usually after the second lactation. Therefore, this study evaluated whether the anionic diet on the prepartum phase would be beneficial for dairy cows in the transition period. Materials, Methods & Results: Eight Holstein cows on their second and third pregnancy with body condition score between 3.5 and 4 were used. During the experiment, the animals remained in paddock with grazing Tifton 85 (Cynodon spp.) and water ad libitum. Two groups of four animals each were used: the group A (control) received a dietary cation...
Comparative Clinical Pathology, 2019
Two experiments were carried out in order to evaluate the efficacy of a partially decreased dietary cation-anion difference (pDCAD) of dry period rations of dairy cattle ((DCAD~0 mEq/Kg DM) in prevention of postpartum subclinical hypocalcemia (SCH). The primary goal of the Experiment I was to compare the efficacy of a pDCAD strategy in minimizing SCH against a full DCAD (fDCAD~− 50 mEq/Kg DM) and a low calcium diet (LCD) in late (21 days (d)) pregnancy in Farm 1, using 66 multiparous cows (parity ≥ 3). The primary goal of Experiment II was to evaluate the effect of extension of a pDCAD to whole dry period (expDCAD-60 days), enrolling 40 cows (parity ≥ 3) to compare a pDCAD vs. expDCAD strategy. In both experiments, a primiparous heifers group was included as well. Serum Ca, Pi, Mg, and energy status indicators β-hydroxybutyrate (BHB) and non-esterified fatty acids (NEFA) were monitored pre-and post-partum, serially. Experiment I showed a significantly lower Ca, a numerically higher prevalence of SCH, and significantly lower NEFA and BHB in pDCAD vs. fDCAD. The prevalence of subclinical ketosis (SCK) was significantly higher in fDCAD peripartally. In Experiment II, a significantly higher Ca and lower prevalence of SCH were observed in expDCAD vs. pDCAD postpartum, while BHB, NEFA, and the prevalence of SCK were not significantly different. The prevalence of SCH in primiparous heifers in both experiments was about 30%. Overall, compared to common ordinary fDCAD strategy, pDCAD could be potentially regarded as a practical intervention, when the adverse effects of fDCAD are unavoidable.
Hypocalcemia in dairy cows: meta-analysis and dietary cation anion difference theory revisited
Journal of dairy science, 2006
Data from 137 published trials involving 2,545 calvings were analyzed using random effects normal logistic regression models to identify risk factors for clinical hypocalcemia in dairy cows. The aim of the study was to examine which form, if any, of the dietary cation anion difference (DCAD) equation provided the best estimate of milk fever risk and to clarify roles of calcium, magnesium, and phosphorus concentrations of prepartum diets in the pathogenesis of milk fever. Two statistically equivalent and biologically plausible models were developed that predict incidence of milk fever. These models were validated using data from 37 trials excluded from the original data used to generate the models; missing variables were replaced with mean values from the analyzed data. The preferred models differed slightly; Model 1 included prepartum DCAD, and Model 2 included prepartum dietary concentrations of potassium and sulfur alone, but not sodium and chloride. Other factors, included in bot...
Journal of Dairy Science, 2002
The objective of this study was to determine the concentrations of plasma Ca, P, Mg, nonesterified fatty acids (NEFA), β-hydroxybutyrate (BHBA), and glucose in transition cows fed anionic salts prepartum and provided with calcium and energy supplements at calving. The study was conducted on a Florida Holstein dairy farm from November to December 1997. Treatments consisted of no treatment (n = 30); 60 g of Ca as calcium chloride, orally (n = 30); 110 g of Ca as calcium propionate 510 g plus 400 g of propylene glycol, orally (n = 30); two doses of 60 g of Ca as calcium chloride, one at calving and the second 24 h later, orally (n = 30); and 10 g of Ca as borogluconate, intravenously (n = 30). Treatments were administered within 12 h after parturition. Blood samples were collected at d 1 (parturition), 2, 3, 6, 9, and 12 after calving. Plasma total Ca, P, Mg, NEFA, BHBA, and glucose were measured. There were no differences in the concentrations of the blood metabolites among treatments.
Journal of Dairy Science, 2005
Early lactation Holsteins cows (15 primiparous and 18 multiparous) were offered rations with dietary cation-anion difference, calculated as mEq (Na + K − Cl − S)/100 g of feed dry matter (DCAD:S), of 20, 35, or 50 mEq from d 0 (calving) to 42 d postpartum (August 20, 2000 to January 9, 2001 to determine the effects of increasing DCAD:S on dry matter intake (DMI), milk yield, and blood metabolites. For DCAD:S of 20, 35, and 50, DMI was 3.30, 3.38, 2.96 kg/100 kg of body weight (BW); milk yield was 25.5, 24.2, and 22.4 kg/d, respectively. No differences were observed for concentration or yield of milk fat or milk protein. Serum Ca, P, Mg, Na, K, Cl, cation-anion difference, insulin, and glucose did not differ with DCAD. Serum HCO 3 − was 26.07, 25.88, and 27.64 mEq/L for 20, 35, and 50 DCAD:S. Serum Ca, Mg, Na, and K concentrations were greater for primiparous cows (9.52 mg/dL, 2.35 mg/dL, 140.03 mEq/L, 4.66 mEq/L, respectively) than for multiparous cows (9.27 mg/dL, 2.12 mg/dL, 137.63 mEq/L, 4.46 mEq/ L, respectively). A DCAD:S between 23 and 33 mEq/ 100 g of dry matter (DM) appears to be adequate during cool weather for the milk yield that occurred in the present study based on DMI (kg/100 kg of BW), whereas DCAD:S of 50 mEq/100 g of DM may be excessive and could be too alkaline or unpalatable, resulting in decreased DMI (kg/100 kg of BW). (Key words: dietary cation-anion difference, lactation, dry matter intake, milk yield)