On-farm evaluation of the effect of metabolic diseases on the shape of the lactation curve in dairy cows through the MilkBot lactation model

Abstract

The effects of metabolic diseases (MD) occurring during the transition period on milk production of dairy cows have been evaluated in many different ways, often with conflicting conclusions. The present study used a fitted lactation model to analyze specific aspects of lactation curve shape and magnitude in cows that avoided culling or death in the first 120 d in milk (DIM). Production and health records of 1,946 lactations in a 1-yr follow-up study design were collected from a transition management facility in Germany to evaluate both short- and long-term effects of MD on milk production. Milk production data were fitted with the nonlinear MilkBot lactation model, and health records were used to classify cows as healthy (H), affected by one MD (MD), or by multiple MD (MD+). The final data set contained 1,071 H, 348 MD, and 136 MD+ cows, with distinct incidences of 3.7% twinning, 4.8% milk fever, 3.6% retained placenta, 15.4% metritis, 8.3% ketosis, 2.0% displaced abomasum, and 3.7% mastitis in the first 30 DIM. The model containing all healthy and diseased cows showed that lactations classified as H had milk production that increased faster (lower ramp) and also declined faster (lower persistence) compared with cows that encountered one or more metabolic problems. The level of production (scale) was only lowered in MD+ cows compared with H and MD cows. Although the shape of the lactation curve changed when cows encounter uncomplicated (single) MD or complicated MD (more than one MD), the slower increase to a lower peak seemed to be compensated for by greater persistency, resulting in the overall 305-d milk production only being lowered in MD+ cows. In the individual disease models, specific changes in the shape of the lactation curve were found for all MD except twinning. Milk fever, retained placenta, ketosis, and mastitis mainly affected the lactation curve when accompanied by another MD, whereas metritis and displaced abomasum affected the lactation curve equally with or without another MD. Overall, 305-d milk production was decreased in complicated metritis (10,603 ± 50 kg vs. 10,114 ± 172 kg). Although care should be taken in generalizing conclusions from a highly specialized transition management facility, the current study demonstrated that lactation curve analysis may contribute substantially to the evaluation of both short- and long-term effects of metabolic diseases on milk production by detecting changes in the distribution of production that are not apparent when only totals are analyzed.

Integrating Fasciolosis Control in the Dry Cow Management: The Effect of Closantel Treatment on Milk Production

“…The functional form of the MilkBot® lactation model was described by Ehrlich [22]. The model has been previously used to assess the effect of metabolic diseases on milk production [23] and demonstrated higher accuracy and precision than the current dairy herd improvement associations' method for calculating lactation yields in the United States [24]. The model quantifies both the shape and magnitude of lactation curves as a set of parameter values, each of which is associated with a single aspect of lactation curve shape.…”

Dietary energy density in the dry period on the metabolic status of lactating cows

“…The dry period, with the exception of the transition period, is one of the most important for the health, fertility and productivity of lactating cows (Mulligan 2012) and 30-50% of dairy cows are affected by some form of metabolic or infectious disease around the time of calving (Hostens et al 2012). Shortening or omitting the dry period as a nutrition 1 from -56d to -8d 2 from -7d to 21d 3 from 22d to 100d metabolic disorders, and for overall performance (Dann et al 2006, Janovick andDrackley 2010).…”

Shortening or omitting the dry period in dairy cows : effects on milk yield, energy balance, metabolic status, and fertility

“…Cows with a 60 d DP, however, had greater milk yield, more severe negative EB, greater plasma FFA and BHB concentrations than cows with a 0 or 30 d DP, especially in the first lactation in the current study , which increased the risk of metabolic disorders. In earlier studies, cows that encountered one or more metabolic disorders (ketosis, milk fever, and displaced abomasum) had lower PY, lower 305-d milk yield, and higher LP (Appuhamy et al, 2007;Hostens et al, 2012). In the current study, cows with a 60 d DP had a more severe negative EB and greater plasma concentrations of FFA and BHB than cows with other DP lengths, which was related to an increased risk of metabolic disorders.…”

“…A lactation curve is a graphical representation of daily milk yield during a complete lactation and is widely used to determine the effects of management (Vance et al, 2012; and metabolic disorders (Wittrock et al, 2011;Hostens et al, 2012) on milk yield. The shape of lactation curve is characterized by an increase from initial milk yield directly after calving to peak yield (PY), and a decrease after PY to the end of lactation (lactation persistency, LP).…”

“…Recently, Hostens et al (2012) showed in a field study that cows with one or more metabolic disorders in early lactation had a lower PY, a delayed PT, and a higher LP compared with healthy cows. It can be hypothesized that not only metabolic disease itself, but also metabolic status, indicated by plasma metabolites and metabolic hormones, is related with lactation curve characteristics.…”