Quality of milk of cows in the first lactation vs. presence of anti-Ostertagia antibodies in their milk

Abstract

Invasions of gastrointestinal nematodes in dairy cows may affect animals productivity. The most frequently detected internal parasite of dairy cattle is Ostertagia ostertagi. The objective of this study was to determine O. ostertagi invasion extensiveness in selected herds of dairy cattle, with special consideration to cows being in the first lactation, and to analyze the milk yield and contents of basic constituents of milk originating from sero-positive cows. Five herds of dairy cattle (403), with different populations of cows, were selected for the study. Invasion extensiveness in particular herds was determined and ranged from 11.9% to 27.27%. Cows being in the first lactation, the udder milk of which was shown to contain anti-O. ostertagi antibodies, were producing on average 470 kg of milk annually less than cows being in the same lactation period. The analysis of results did not confirm the statistical significance of this difference, likewise it did not demonstrate any statistically significant differences in contents of fat, protein and dry matter. Despite a lack of the statistical significance a producer suffers great economic losses. The conducted study proves that the occurrence of O. ostertagi invasion in herds of dairy cattle is a global problem and that it affects cost-effectiveness of milk production.

Effect of Mixed Invasions of Hypoderma bovis and Ostertagia ostertagi in Cattle on Milk Yield and Contents in Polish Dairy Farms

“…Studies carried out in various countries show that the average extensiveness of gastrointestinal nematode infection (endoparasites) ranges from 61.96% in Mexico [17], 56% in Canada [18] to as much as 90% in Belgium and The Netherlands [19]. Polish studies, limited to the Warmia and Mazury voivodeship, showed extensiveness of infection at the level of 20% [20].…”

“…The decrease in milk production in herds with confirmed infestation of Hypoderma spp. was estimated at 681.8 kg/year in the Warmia and Mazury voivodeship [20]. In the case of ectoparasites, losses associated with skin damage as well as changes in meat due to migration of larvae cannot be overlooked.…”

Short- and long-term association between individual levels of milk antibody against Ostertagia ostertagi and first-lactation heifer’s production performances

“…In addition to these effects on milk production, cattle helminths could also reduce calving interval and number of breeding at conception and increase 71 the mortality rate in a dairy herd (Walsh et al, 1995;Stromberg et al, 1997;Sanchez et al, 2002a;Delafosse, 2013). Interestingly, although heifers represent a capital investment for dairy farmers and are among the most vulnerable to this type of infections and production losses, little has been done to explore impacts of helminth infections in first-lactation heifers, with very few, inconclusive studies available (Blanco-Penedo et al, 2012;Liedtke et al, 2013).…”